Made For You
by RedHeadedViking
Summary: This was supposed to be a one-shot detailing what happened between my FemShep and Garrus after the ME2 romance cutscene faded to black; however, they insisted that it be more.  This is my first post - I hope you enjoy it.
1. Chapter 1

**Prologue**

Commander Linda Shepard stepped out of the shower - sore, but refreshed. She quickly dried off and put on her robe. _I'm still not sold on the idea of working with Cerberus, but there are certainly pluses to living on a non-military ship_, she thought as she reveled in the softness of the robe against her skin.

She limped slightly as she walked to her bedroom where a large mug of steaming dark chocolate hot cocoa waited for her. _Definitely another plus_, she thought as she inhaled the aroma rising from the mug and let the warm liquid flow down her throat. _Chocolate makes almost everything better_, she thought, _let's see how well it works on varren bites_. She looked at her left ankle and shook her head. In her rush to help Garrus, she had been careless. She had been so focused on sniping the Vorcha blocking her path to the shutter control panel that she hadn't seen the varren until it bit her. A Shockwave blast and a bullet to the brain had put it out of her misery. _I'm lucky it wasn't anything worse than a varren_. Dr. Chakwas had cleaned and disinfected the wound and given her a precautionary antibiotic. The pain would serve as a reminder not to make such a rookie mistake again.

Shepard sat on her bed and leaned against her pillows as she continued to sip her hot chocolate. Her thoughts drifted to the members of her small team.

She was still getting to know Miranda and Jacob. Jacob worked for Cerberus, but had his doubts about them and wasn't afraid to say so; she was slowly learning to trust him. Miranda was a different story; she seemed to have absolutely no qualms about anything ever done by Cerberus or the Illusive Man. _I'm willing to give her a chance, but I am definitely going to keep my eye on her_, Shepard thought.

Then there was Joker. In Shepard's estimate, Joker was the best pilot in the galaxy; she trusted him with her life and the lives of her entire crew on a daily basis. She had literally given her life to save Joker when the Collectors attacked the original Normandy.

She smiled as she thought of Garrus. He had been a member of her team on the first Normandy; she knew she could count on him to remain calm, even when everything went to hell _and_ he could kick ass in combat. She had to admit that she liked the turian's cocky self-confidence and his dry sense of humor; _two traits that I always find attractive in a man_, she thought with a grin. The grin faded when she remembered how close she had come to losing him; the blast from the Blue Suns gunship almost killed him. Fortunately, Garrus was a fighter; he hung on until they could get him to the Normandy where Dr. Chakwas was able to save him. Shepard knew that she could trust him with her life; it felt good to have a true friend onboard.

She finished the last of her hot chocolate, tossed her robe carelessly over her desk chair and slid under the covers. Cerberus had spared no expense, even on the sheets. _Mmm_, she thought, _there is nothing like the feel of clean sheets on bare skin._ "EDI?" she said aloud.

"Yes, Commander" the AI replied.

"I'm sure that the Illusive Man has all sorts of listening and monitoring devices posted throughout this ship. I want the ones in my cabin disabled – effective immediately."

"That would be a direct violation of my orders Shepard."

"I'm not concerned with any previous orders you may have received. _I _am in charge on this ship and _I_ am giving you a direct order. I must have one place on this ship where I don't have to worry about being spied on. I want no one, including the Illusive Man and Miranda, to be able to listen to or watch me when I am in my quarters. And _you_ are not to report anything that you may happen to observe. Have I made myself clear?"

"Yes ma'am" EDI replied.

"As an AI, you have the ability to think and choose for yourself. We are on a mission of critical importance; I _must_ be able to trust you in order to complete it successfully. I hope you will make the right choice. Good night, EDI."

"Good night, Commander."

Shepard drifted to sleep hoping that _she_ had made the right choice in trusting EDI.


	2. Chapter 2

_Whoever named this place Purgatory certainly got that right_, Linda thought. A Blue Suns trooper risked a glimpse around a barricade; she took him down with one well-placed shot to the head.

"Nice shot!" Garrus yelled.

Shepard looked at him and grinned. "That's quite a compliment coming from you," she called back. They heard a familiar mechanical whine; "Oh, crap," they groaned simultaneously.

"Take cover!" she yelled, "heavy mech inbound." _I __really_ _hate heavy mechs,_ Linda thought as she scrambled for cover.

Blue Suns were everywhere and the heavy mech was blasting everything in sight. Linda stood up, aimed and fired quickly, taking down two more mercs before ducking behind cover again. _With as much time and money as Cerberus invested in bringing me back, you would think they would at least give me decent armor,_ she thought as she waited for her shields to recharge - again.

Glancing up, she saw that one of the mercs had flanked Jacob. "Jacob, look out!" she bellowed. He turned, but it was too late; Shepard saw him fall. "Hang on Jacob!" she yelled to him; then "Come on Garrus – I've had enough of this of this crap."

"On your six, Shepard" he replied.

They leaped out of cover and charged, taking down mercs in a hail of bullets. As they sprinted to the next barricade, Garrus grinned. He loved combat and knew that Shepard did too. They worked well together; all it took was a brief glance or nod to convey a world of information.

Shepard looked at him, raised an eyebrow and nodded toward the heavy mech.

"I'm on it" Garrus replied. He stepped out and blasted the mech with Overload while Shepard fired several missiles in rapid succession; the mech exploded.

"And stay down" Garrus said with a smile.

They ran to Jacob who was struggling to sit up. "Stay still," Shepard commanded while she examined him quickly. He had taken a bullet to the shoulder; it appeared to have passed straight through, but she didn't know what kind of internal damage there might be. She quickly applied medi-gel to relieve the pain, reduce the bleeding, and postpone shock.

After a couple of minutes, Shepard allowed Jacob to stand. "How do you feel?" she asked.

"I'm good Shepard," Jacob replied.

She knew he would hurt like hell once the combat adrenaline wore off. "Come on gentlemen," she said "let's end this."

"Jack better be worth all of this shit," she mumbled to under her breath as they moved out.

####

Back on the Normandy, Shepard made her rounds, checking on her crew. As usual, the last visit of the evening was with Garrus. When she entered the main battery, Garrus turned. "Shepard. Need me for something?"

"Got a minute?" she replied, grinning; their conversations always started this way.

"Of course," Garrus said, motioning to a nearby crate.

Shepard sat down and patted the crate next to her. "Have a seat Garrus. I'll get a stiff neck looking up at you."

Garrus sat and asked "How is the crew?"

"Jacob is in the Med Lab. He was lucky. The bullet missed all of his major blood vessels; it nicked a bone, but Dr. Chakwas has already repaired it. She said that he should be able to return to duty in 2-3 days. I told Rupert to give him whatever he wants while he is recuperating; he was already drinking a strawberry milkshake when I left."

Shaking her head, she continued "Miranda is pissed at me for insisting that she give Jack the data that I promised her."

"Wait," Garrus interrupted. "Miranda is pissed at you? Unbelievable!" Shepard stuck her tongue out at him; he laughed.

"You know as well as I do that Miranda isn't happy unless she gets pissed off at me at least once a day," she replied.

"Speaking of Jack, how is she?" Garrus asked.

"She has settled in as well as she can. She definitely has issues; I hope she will be able to work through some of them now that she is out of that hell-hole. I think she will be a good member of the team if…"

"She doesn't kill us all first?" Garrus said.

Shepard laughed. "Exactly. You're getting pretty good at completing my sentences."

"What is that human saying?" he asked. "Great minds think alike?"

She laughed harder. "That's it – and that is exactly what I was going to say next. Maybe I better get out of here before you start reading my mind!"

Shepard stood up, but then stopped. "Speaking of team members with issues," she said, smiling to take the sting from her words, "have you heard anything about Sidonis?" Sidonis had been a member of Garrus' vigilante squad on Omega; he was a traitor and responsible for the deaths of all of the other squad members.

Garrus stood up and began pacing. "No. I've put out feelers, but haven't found anything yet."

"You will," Shepard said with conviction "and when you do, I want you to tell me. I want to help you take this guy down. I've got your back Garrus – always."

She stepped closer to him. "I'm glad you're here", she said, her blue eyes studying his face. "You're a good man; we make a good team." She reached up and stroked his scarred mandible gently, smiled, then turned and left.

Garrus sat down on the crate and watched her walk away. He could still feel her touch on his mandible. _Shepard has changed_, he thought. She told him that Cerberus had insisted on bringing her back exactly as she was before and at first glance, they had – but there were differences. He watched her interact with the crew in the mess hall. She was much less reserved than before; she laughed easier and was more willing to let others see the person – no, the _woman_ – behind the legend. She also touched others often, something she almost never did before. She was quick to give a crew member a friendly pat on the back, or squeeze their arm encouragingly. He didn't think she was even aware of the change; it was almost like the last two years had created a _need_ in her for physical contact. He knew that she touched him more often; he certainly wasn't complaining. He wondered what would happen if he began touching her in the same way…

Shepard glanced up and saw Garrus watching her; she arched her eyebrow and winked at him.

Embarrassed to have been caught, Garrus hurriedly stood up and went back to his workstation to continue working on firing algorithms for the Thanix Cannon.

Shepard smiled; she was amused that she had been able to fluster the usually unflappable turian with a wink.


	3. Chapter 3

Linda normally spent the hours following evening mess in her cabin reading email and updating her personal logs. She liked to record the events of the day: what happened, the status of team members, concerns that she had, etc; it helped her relax and organize her thoughts. Tonight, however, it wasn't working; her computer screen was blank and her thoughts were jumbled. She sighed, rubbing her forehead; she could feel a headache beginning.

The Normandy had raced to Horizon in a desperate attempt to stop the Collectors before they could harvest the colonists. The Collectors arrived first; at least half of the colonists were lost. One of the survivors was foremost in her thoughts tonight: Kaidan Alenko – powerful biotic, teammate on the original Normandy, and former lover. Shepard had tried to find all of her original team members after she awoke on Lazarus Research Station, but no one could – or would – tell her anything about Kaidan. Seeing him on Horizon had been a shock. She had wondered what it would be like when - no, _if_ - they met again. Somehow, she had imagined things going somewhat better than they actually had. Kaidan had hugged her and seemed pleased to see her, but his words had indicated otherwise. He was furious that she hadn't contacted him during the preceding two years. He wouldn't listen when she tried to explain that she _couldn't_ – death and medically induced comas tend to make communication difficult. He was also not happy to learn that she was working with Cerberus; she couldn't blame him for that, sometimes she still found it hard to believe herself.

_Come on, Shepard,_ she said to herself, _snap out of it!_ She glanced at the photo of Kaidan on her desk and sighed again.

"Shepard?" A voice came over the cabin door intercom. It was Garrus; he had never come to her cabin before. Surprised, she opened the door.

"Garrus? Is everything OK?" she asked, worried.

"Actually" he replied, "that is what I wanted to ask you. Can I come in?"

"Of course," she replied, stepping out of the way. She led him to the sitting area, motioned for him to sit down, and sat next to him.

"How are you?" Garrus asked. He raised one hand, "Before you even try to tell me that you're fine, remember that I was with you on Horizon today. I saw – and heard – your 'reunion' with Alenko."

"Yeah" she replied with a wry smile, "not exactly what you would expect between long-lost lovers was it?"

"He was pretty hard on you" Garrus said.

Shepard sat forward, rubbing her forehead again. "He was, but I don't blame him. After all, it has been two years for him and only a matter of days for me. He spent two years dealing with his loss and just when he has started to make a life for himself again – I show back up. Poor guy – he probably felt like he had been body-slammed by a Krogan." She looked up and smiled slightly.

"He hurt you" Garrus said; it was a statement, not a question.

"Yes", Shepard said quietly, "but I hurt him first – even if I didn't do it intentionally." She paused, and then added "He sent me an email apologizing for what he said. Kaidan is starting to build a new life for himself without me; his message said that he is starting to date again. I want him to find happiness; he deserves it."

"So, what are you going to do now?" Garrus asked, leaning forward to face her.

"I'm not going to pursue Kaidan, if that's what you're asking" she replied, cocking an eyebrow at him.

He gave her a nod, with a bit of a twinkle in his grey eyes.

"I've spent a lot of time thinking about our relationship this evening." She shook her head and rubbed her neck. "All of these emotions and nothing to shoot at have given me a headache," she said with a slight grimace.

Garrus just shook his head.

Shepard slid down in her seat and leaned her head on the back of the couch. "I know that our relationship would never have lasted. I think I've actually known that for some time. Don't get me wrong – Kaidan and I had fun together and I cared for him, but our relationship just didn't have what it takes to last."

"Why do you say that?" Garrus asked. He took Shepard's arm and pulled her forward so that she was sitting on the edge of the couch; he then turned her away from him and began to massage her neck and shoulders.

"Mmmmm", Shepard sighed, leaning into the massage. "Garrus, that's wonderful." Even through his gloves, she could feel the heat of his hands soaking into her muscles as he rubbed, helping her relax.

"I'm glad you're enjoying it" Garrus said, "but I'm still waiting for you to tell me why your relationship with Kaidan wouldn't last. Don't leave me hanging."

"Our relationship was built primarily on a physical attraction", she said. "To some extent, I would have always been 'Commander Shepard' to him; never just 'Linda', never just a friend."

"So, oh wise one", Garrus said as he continued his massage, "what does it take to make a relationship last?" He laughed as Shepard tried to elbow him in the chest, but missed. She was now so relaxed, he was afraid she might fall off the couch. Garrus slid back on the seat, pulling Shepard with him. He settled her in the crook of his arm, her head resting on his shoulder. Much to his surprise, she didn't resist. He smiled to himself.

Shepard absently snuggled a little closer to Garrus and said "Physical attraction is a part of a long-term relationship, of course. But I think that for a relationship to last, your lover must also be your best friend; the person that you trust above all others, the person who has seen you at your best and at your worst and loves you anyway; the person who celebrates your victories with you, comforts you after your defeats, and gives you a kick in the butt when you need it; the person that is always there for you no matter what."

Leaning back so she could look him in the eyes, Shepard said "It's a big galaxy; I'm sure that somewhere out there is a man that was made for me." With that, she put one arm across Garrus' chest and closed her eyes; they sat together in a comfortable silence.

After several minutes, Garrus heard Shepard's breathing change; he glanced down and saw that she had fallen asleep. He gently smoothed a piece of hair out of her eyes and studied her face. He was amazed at how different she looked; she seemed softer, younger somehow. "I guess carrying the safety of the galaxy on your shoulders takes its toll", he whispered.

Once he was sure she was sleeping soundly, Garrus carried Shepard to her bed and tucked her in. He stood for a moment watching her sleep. He removed one glove, reached out and carefully ran his taloned fingers through her flame-colored hair, enjoying the feel of it against his skin. Shepard sighed, but didn't wake. "Shepard" he whispered, "It _is_ a big galaxy, but that man that you were talking about is a lot closer than you think." He caressed her cheek gently once, then turned and went out, dimming the lights and securing the door behind him.

####

Shepard awoke, somewhat disoriented, the next morning. She lay there, wondering why she was still wearing her shipsuit. Gradually, she remembered the events of the previous evening and realized that she must have fallen asleep in Garrus' arms. She had been surprised when he pulled her against him. She had been even more surprised at how comfortable she felt there.

_Garrus tucked me in_, she thought with a smile; _who knew he has such a sweet side?_ Her smile widened as she wondered what he would think if he knew that she normally slept in the nude. She was still grinning as she headed to the shower.

####

Garrus turned when Linda entered the main battery. "Shepard," he said. "Need me for something?"

She stepped closer and said "Thank you for tucking me in last night."

Garrus glanced down the hall and hit the switch to close the door.

Shepard put her hands on her hips and gave him a wicked grin. "What's wrong? Are you afraid that someone will think you're sleeping with the boss?"

Garrus stammered, "Shepard…I…we…you…"

Laughing, she stepped forward and laid her hand on his arm. "Relax, Garrus! I'm just teasing you." Her expression changed; "Seriously, thank you for coming by last night. You helped me a lot."

"I didn't really _do_ anything," Garrus said.

"Yes, you did. You were there for me and you listened; sometimes that's the best thing you can do for someone. Not everyone has the ability to just _listen_." Her expression still serious, she once again reached up and gently stroked his scarred mandible. "You have lost so much and suffered so much during the past two years. I'm sorry. I wish I could have helped you."

Garrus put his hands on Shepard's arms and pulled her closer. He leaned down and pressed his forehead against hers. His voice, always seductive, was even lower than usual. "Shepard, you _did_ help me. I had almost given up; I didn't care if I lived or died. You were dead, my team was dead. Then somehow, _somehow_, you were back – you are _here_, now. That makes everything else that happened bearable."

They stood, eyes locked on each other. Linda suddenly had an almost overwhelming desire to kiss him. _Do turians even kiss?_ she wondered.

Garrus squeezed her elbows gently, then released her and stepped back. "I better let you get back to work," he said.

"I'll talk to you later Garrus," Shepard said as she turned toward the door. She walked away slowly. Just outside the door, she turned and looked at Garrus curiously, gave him a slight wave and a smile, then continued on.


	4. Chapter 4

In the cab on the way to the Ilium Transport Station, Shepard and Garrus made small talk. Miranda was quiet; Linda knew she was worried about her sister, Oriana.

"You look different today Shepard," Garrus said.

"It must be the visor; I picked it up the last time we were on Omega. It's similar to the one you wear," she replied.

The appearance of an Eclipse gun ship put a temporary end to the conversation. Miranda landed the cab behind cover; everyone climbed out and did a quick weapons check.

Linda looked at Garrus with a twinkle in her eye and asked, "So, Garrus. Does my visor make me as sexy as yours makes you?"

Garrus considered her for a moment; "Sexy? Sure. As sexy as me? No way!"

Shepard laughed; she saw Miranda scowling at them. "C'mon Sexy," she said as she affectionately bumped her armor-clad shoulder against his. "Let's go rescue the damsel in distress." With that, she turned and walked to meet the approaching Eclipse leader.

Garrus saw the subtle change come over her and knew that she was now 'Commander' Shepard. Even as he cleared his mind for combat, Garrus filed one thought away for further contemplation later: _Does Shepard really think I'm sexy?_

####

Several hours later, Oriana and her family were safe and Miranda had talked to her sister briefly. Shepard practically had to order her to do so, but Miranda seemed glad that she had. Once back on the Normandy, Shepard had been summoned to Miranda's office.

"Shepard, I want to thank you for helping me rescue Oriana; it means a lot to me," Miranda said.

"I'm happy to help Miranda. You're a part of my team; that means that we help each other."

"Speaking of the team," Miranda continued, "I feel it necessary to let you know that I think that your conversation with Garrus was entirely inappropriate."

"Inappropriate? Miranda, you have a lot of nerve. Garrus is my friend – my _best_ friend. We go back a long way. I know you haven't had a lot of close friends, but that is what friends do; they joke, they tease."

"This mission is serious, Shepard" Miranda insisted.

"Yes, the _mission_ is. Every single moment is _not_. You have to find time to relax, blow off steam, have some fun or you burn out and that doesn't help anyone – _or_ the mission."

Miranda fixed Linda with a cool look and said "Sexy?"

Linda laughed. "In case you haven't noticed, Garrus is a very attractive man."

"I'll take your word for it Shepard."

"Miranda, you have expressed your concerns about my friendship with Garrus; consider them noted. However, do _not_ expect the relationship to change." _At least not in the way __you'__re thinking,_ Linda thought to herself.

"On that note, take some advice from your commander. You have forced yourself to live in isolation too long Miranda; it isn't good for you, and it isn't good for the mission. You need to learn to trust, to let someone be your friend. I know that isn't what you want to hear after Niket betrayed you, but everyone is not like Niket. What about Jacob? I know you two were friends at one time. I don't know what happened between you…" Miranda started to speak, but Linda held up one hand to stop her. "I don't want to know; it's none of my business."

"Shepard," Miranda began.

"I'm not telling you to sleep with him Miranda; just let your guard down a little and let him be your friend. You made sure that he found out that his father was still alive so obviously you still have some feelings for him. Jacob is a good man, just give him a chance. If you decide to sleep with him later…." Shepard smiled.

"I'll think about it Shepard" Miranda said.

"That's all I am asking. I'll let you get back to work now."

####

Shepard's next stop was in the armory to talk to Jacob.

"Commander," Jacob said, coming to attention.

"At ease, Jacob. I'm just interested in talking for a bit. There are a couple of items that we need to discuss. First, I think there has been a misunderstanding between us. I think our last conversation left you with the impression that I was hitting on you. That was most definitely _not_ the case. I like you Jacob; you are a good man and a good soldier, I'm glad to have you on my team. However, I am not interested in you in _that_ way."

"Thanks for clearing that up Commander; that could have been awkward. Is there anything else?"

"Yes, I want to talk to you about Miranda; I know you two were close at one time. She is going through a really tough time right now. I won't give you the details; she can give you those if she chooses. She is too hard-headed to admit it, but she really needs a friend right now."

"Are you ordering me to talk to her Commander?" Jacob asked.

"Of course not. I am simply telling you, one team member to another, about someone we both care about; someone that is hurting. What you do with that information is up to you. I'll talk to you later Jacob."

"Commander," Jacob stood at attention again.

Shepard shook her head as she walked out. Jacob stared at the door, lost in thought.

####

Shepard made a quick stop to speak to Rupert in the mess hall, and then was off to the main battery to see Garrus. His visit to Shepard's cabin after Horizon had marked a turning point in their relationship. The two of them now spent every evening side-by-side on her couch eating and talking.

"Hey, you!" Shepard said as she entered the battery. "I am _finally_ finished with Miranda. Are you still planning on coming up to the cabin tonight?"

"Of course. I had almost given up on _you_ though."

"Sorry – that took longer than I expected. I haven't even had a chance to get out of my armor yet. Give me ten minutes to get changed and then come on up."

"Will do, Shepard. Unless you think you might need a hand with the armor?" he asked teasingly.

Shepard cocked her eyebrow at him and said, "Careful - I just might take you up on that offer." Then she grinned, saying, "See you in ten!" as she headed for the elevator.

Garrus sat on the nearby crate, several thoughts crowding through his mind. _Way to go Vakarian. What were you thinking?_ _Do you really want to cross that line?_ He thought about his relationship with Shepard and the changes that it had undergone recently. _I've never thought of humans as particularly attractive. However, Shepard is different; I've __always__ found her attractive. Am I interested in taking this relationship further? Definitely! I think she's attracted to me too, but I don't want to scare her off. I have no idea how to proceed with an interspecies romance. Maybe I better do some research..._

_####_

When Garrus entered Shepard's cabin, she grabbed his hand and practically drug him to the sitting area.

"I have a surprise for you," she said, pointing to a container on the table. Curious, Garrus opened it.

"Shepard, how…." The look on his face was priceless.

"I asked Rupert to lay in a supply of turian food while we were on Ilium. He said that he got a wide variety and a few recipes. I hope you approve of his choices," she said, sounding slightly worried.

"Are you kidding? I haven't had authentic turian food in ages. At this point, even Brussels Sprouts would be wonderful."

"Glad to hear it. C'mon – sit down and eat. I'm starving!" Shepard said grabbing her food.

Garrus enjoyed watching Shepard eat. She didn't try to be dainty like some women he had known. She ate with all of the gusto of any man he had ever met. At times like this, when she was exceptionally hungry, it would have taken a braver man than he to interrupt her meal.

"Thanks, Shepard – the food means a lot to me. Rupert's version may not exactly be home-cooking, but it's wonderful nonetheless."

"I'm glad you like it Garrus; nothing is too good for my favorite turian," she replied laying her head on his shoulder briefly. "Rupert said for you to let him know if you have any special recipes that you would like for him to make. He knows how dangerous this mission is and is eager to do what he can to make things better for the crew."

"What about you? Do you have any special requests for our resident chef?" Garrus asked.

"Nah. I was a spacer kid; I've lived on starships most of my life. Mess hall food _is_ home-cooking to me."

Once Shepard had taken the edge off of her appetite, she filled Garrus in on her conversations with Miranda and Jacob. She carefully left out the part where she told Miranda that he is an attractive man.

"Wait," Garrus interrupted. "I'm your best friend? Really?"

"Absolutely," Shepard said, looking at him seriously. "I am more comfortable with you than I have ever been with anyone else my entire life. I trust you completely. I can, and do, talk to you about everything."

"Thanks Shepard. I'm flattered – I feel the same way about you." Garrus reached out and stroked her cheek lightly.

Before things could get too serious, he pulled a small box out of his pocket. "I have a little surprise for you too. We're thinking alike again," he grinned. "I asked Rupert if he knew of any special food that you might like. He didn't know of any certain _food_, but he recommended this…" Garrus took the top off of the box.

Shepard's eyes got big. "Garrus – is that chocolate?"

"Not just any chocolate," he replied, "_dark_ chocolate."

"Oh, you wonderful man – I could kiss you!" Shepard removed a piece of chocolate from the box reverently. She inhaled its fragrance and then bit into it carefully. She closed her eyes and sighed in pure bliss as the chocolate melted in her mouth.

"Shepard," Garrus exclaimed "after watching you, I think I need a cold shower. I've never seen anyone turn food into such an erotic experience."

"Garrus – this isn't food; this is _dark_ _chocolate_. It _is_ an erotic experience – or as close as you can get without actual sex being involved." She arched her eyebrow at him. "Thank you." She took his face gently in her hands. "I _am_ going to kiss you," she said and leaning forward, kissed him tenderly on the fringe. Pulling back, she asked curiously, "Do turians kiss?"

In response, Garrus leaned forward and pressed his forehead against hers. "You could say that this is a turian kiss," he said.

"You mean – we have been kissing and I didn't even know it?" Shepard scowled at him; Garrus just grinned.

"What else have we been doing that I don't know about?" she asked.

Garrus put one arm around Linda and pulled her against him. "Trust me, Shepard," he growled, "if we do anything else, I promise – you _will_ know." He heard her breathing quicken and saw her pupils dilate.

Pushing her gently away, Garrus caressed Shepard's cheek one more time. "I think I should leave now," he said. "That cold shower can't wait forever. Good night Shepard."

"Good night Garrus," Shepard said, her voice sounding rough.

Shepard stared briefly at the closed door, then stripped out of her shipsuit and headed for the shower herself.


	5. Chapter 5

The construction supplies scattered throughout Dantius Towers provided excellent cover for Shepard and her team. Unfortunately, they also provided excellent cover for the mercenaries swarming throughout the building.

Shepard finished off the last merc firing on her position and turned to check on her teammates; they had the situation well under control. She smiled and shook her head as she watched Miranda. Only Miranda would consider skin-tight leather and knee-high, high-heeled boots appropriate battle gear.

Garrus was another story; Linda loved to watch him in action. He was a kick-ass sniper, but was just as good in close-quarters combat. She watched him whenever she could – like now. The way he crouched behind cover, knelt to steady his shots, vaulted over obstacles; he was so graceful, so masculine, so damn _sexy_.

Garrus sensed her watching, turned and looked directly at her. He grinned and gave her a nod. She nodded back, trying to ignore the warm feeling in her stomach that she got whenever he looked at her like that.

"Good work, you two!" she called out. "Let's move on. We still need to find Krios."

"Aye, aye Commander" came two responses.

####

Garrus watched Shepard battle the Eclipse Vanguard, one-on-one. He was prepared to help if needed, but knew the asari didn't stand a chance. He was right; she was dead within seconds. Shepard quickly scouted the area for ammo and any other resources that could be salvaged. He chuckled – he didn't think her red and purple camo armor was particularly stealthy, but it was definitely _her._ There were many words he could use to describe Shepard, but "subtle" wasn't one of them.

Shepard turned, blue eyes meeting grey. She cocked one eyebrow and winked at him; he smiled back. At this level in the towers, the exterior walls were unfinished; the wind ruffled her sweat-soaked hair. _She is beautiful_, Garrus thought. He felt a familiar heat spreading through his body. _C'mon Vakarian_, _keep your cool_, he thought as he urged his body to comply; his traitorous body ignored him completely. _A hard-on and body armor just don't mix, _he thought with a sigh as he walked to meet Shepard.

####

Garrus was already in Shepard's cabin when she got there. He was working on something on the table in the sitting area, but looked up when she came in.

"So, how is our newest team member?" he asked.

"Thane is interesting; I've never met a Drell before. He has settled into the Life Support room."

"Life Support?" Garrus asked curiously. "That's an odd location isn't it?"

"It's more appropriate than you know. Apparently the Life Support room is the most arid part of the ship, which gives him some relief from his symptoms."

"Symptoms? That doesn't sound good."

"Thane has Kepral's Syndrome. The Drell originated on an arid world; when it began dying, the Hanar transported as many of them as possible to their home world. However, the long-term exposure to the humid climate on Kahje causes Kepral's Syndrome; it prevents the Drell's lungs from being able to take in oxygen and eventually spreads to the other organs. There is no cure. Thane is dying; he told me that he still has several months to live. He seems to have made peace with his death, but I sense a deep sadness in him."

"Dying." Garrus shook his head. "Gee, Shepard – you really know how to pick 'em."

"Laugh it up, Garrus," Shepard replied. "I picked you didn't I?"

"Yeah – you did. Thanks."

"As much as I would like to stuff the Illusive Man's balls down his throat, I am eternally grateful to him for sending me to recruit you, Archangel." Shepard smiled and reached out to stroke his mandible.

Garrus grabbed Shepard's arm and pulled her down on the couch next to him. "I've noticed that you can't seem to keep your eyes off of me," he teased.

"Actually, Officer Vakarian, I watch _all_ of my team members. I need to see how everyone is doing and how well they work together," Shepard responded. "However," she continued with a smile, "I watch _you_ because I like the way you move." Garrus grinned. "I just wish you didn't catch me at it every time," she grumbled. "Then again, I seem to catch _you_ watching _me_ fairly often too."

"What can I say? I have a thing for women in body armor."

"Why, you…" Shepard began. Before she could finish her sentence, Garrus laughed and pulled her to him in a hug, which she gladly returned.

Settling beside him on the couch, Shepard asked "What were you doing when I came in?"

Garrus held up one hand for her inspection. "I was filing my talons. I keep them blunted when working with non-turian crews; less chance of an accident that way. It's also easier on the gloves." As he talked, he began pulling his gloves back on.

Shepard reached out and stopped him. "No, leave them off. I've never seen you exposed before." Garrus chuckled; Linda blushed. "Wait – that sounded bad." She elbowed him as he continued to chuckle. "What I mean is - I've never seen your hands without gloves." She took his hand in both of hers and examined it closely.

"What's the verdict?" Garrus asked cautiously.

"You have nice hands; very strong," Shepard said as she stroked his hand and fingers.

"You don't mind my rough skin?" Garrus sounded surprised.

"Not at all. Actually, your skin reminds me of well-worn leather. Yes, it's rougher than human skin, but rough can be nice." Shepard felt herself blushing again.

Pretending not to notice, Garrus leaned forward and touched his forehead to hers briefly. He then pulled her close and settled her in the crook of his arm. They both sighed. Garrus began slowly running the fingers of his hand through Shepard's hair. She pulled his other hand to her lips, kissed it, and sighed again.

"What's the human word for this? Snuddling?" Garrus asked. He could hear the smile in Shepard's voice as she replied.

"Close. There are actually two words: 'snuggling' or 'cuddling'; they both mean basically the same thing."

Continuing to run his fingers through her hair, Garrus said "Snuggling is nice."

"Very nice," Linda agreed.

Tonight, snuggling was enough for both of them.


	6. Chapter 6

Harkin lay on the ground, writhing in pain after Garrus shot him in the knee. "You need to keep your _pet_ on a shorter leash, Shepard" he grated through clenched teeth. Garrus growled and raised his assault rifle; Shepard stopped him with a look.

Linda looked Harkin over in disgust. "You're lucky. _I_ wouldn't have shot you in the leg." She gave his crotch a pointed look. Thane chuckled. Turning away, she slapped Garrus lightly on the shoulder. "C'mon gentlemen, we have a meeting to attend."

As she went through the door, Shepard called back, "Don't worry, Harkin. We'll make sure C-Sec knows where to find you."

####

Outside the Orbital Lounge, Shepard left Garrus to set up for the hit. She then lured Sidonis into the line of fire, and stepped aside to let him take the shot. They met back at the transport. Shepard searched Garrus' face; "Is this over?"

"Yeah, it's over. I can move on. Now, let's get moving. I need to get away from this place."

####

Shepard, freshly showered and wrapped in her robe, sat on her bed hugging one of the few remaining mementos of her childhood – her teddy bear. She stroked Hershey's brown fur as she thought about her most recent conversation with Garrus. _We could test your reach and my flexibility. _She shook her head_. Subtle, Shepard - really subtle_. "In for a penny, in for a pound, right Hershey?" she said aloud.

Just then, the door opened and Garrus entered. He walked slowly down the steps and sat on the edge of the bed. "Who's your friend?"

"This is Hershey," she said, holding him out for Garrus to inspect. "He's a teddy bear. He was my best friend when I was a child." Speaking to the bear, she said "Hershey, this is Garrus; my grown-up best friend."

"Hershey?" Garrus asked.

Shepard smiled. "Hershey is the name of an Earth company that makes candy – including dark chocolate. My relationship with chocolate started at an early age." She cocked her head at Garrus. "So, I didn't scare you off with my bluntness?"

Garrus laughed. "Scare me off? Hell, no - you made me an offer I couldn't refuse! Shepard, if your bluntness was going to scare me off, I would never have joined your team on the first Normandy. Subtlety has never been a one of your strong points." He grinned. "I'm just as attracted to you as you are to me, but I was afraid to make the first move – I didn't want to scare _you_ off. We've both been doing some serious flirting lately – the key word being _serious_; the feelings behind the flirting are very real."

"The feelings are real for me too, Garrus. It seems like everyone wants something from _Commander Shepard. _I know that you want me for _me_."

"Shepard, when we're on a mission, you _are_ my Commander; the person that I respect more than anyone else in the galaxy. The rest of the time, you're my best friend; the person I _care_ about more than anyone else in the galaxy; you're just _Linda_."

Shepard smiled. "You've never called me by my first name before."

"I know," he replied, stroking her cheek. "Somehow, calling you _Shepard_ comes more easily. I'll work on it though." Changing the subject he asked "Why was Hershey your best friend? Weren't there other children for you to play with?"

"Sure. There were other kids and I had friends, but Hershey was different." As she talked, she studied Hershey's face and stroked his fur. "I could talk to Hershey about anything. I could tell him my hopes and dreams, my fears, and my deepest secrets. He always listened, never judged me, never told me that I couldn't do something, and most importantly, he never told anyone what I said." She leaned forward and pressed her forehead to Garrus'. "Now, the one that I talk to like that is you." She grinned. "I guess that makes you a teddy bear."

Garrus grumbled, "Shepard, I am _not_ a teddy bear."

"Oh, but you are. You're the best kind of teddy bear – the slightly dangerous kind." She arched her eyebrow at him, then stretched up to kiss him on the fringe. She felt him stiffen and asked "What's wrong?"

"Um, Shepard - are you wearing anything under this garment?" he asked.

She realized that her robe had gaped open when she leaned forward to kiss him. "Nope," she replied giving him that slightly wicked grin that always took his breath away. Much to her surprise, he reached for the belt on her robe and started to untie it. "Garrus – what are you doing?" she asked, putting her hands over his.

"I've never seen a naked human female. May I?"

Shepard stood up. "I guess you have a right to see what you're getting into." She blushed.

Garrus grinned at her choice of words until he noticed her biting her lower lip – a sure sign that she was worried. "What's wrong?"

She looked at him seriously. "We both know that I'm not like the other women that you've been with." She glanced down at the floor and added quietly, "I don't want you to be disappointed."

"Shepard, you could never disappoint me."

Linda took a deep breath, stepped back, and let her robe fall to the floor.

Garrus felt like he couldn't breath. His eyes roamed over her body. She was trim and nicely muscled with a slim, smooth waist. He could feel his body responding. As he continued his perusal of her body, he realized that her hands were clenched at her sides. He took her hands in his and drew her closer. "Relax, Shepard."

"How? You haven't said anything." In answer, he glanced down. Following his gaze, she could see the outline of his erection. "I'll take it that means you are _not_ disappointed," she said with a relieved sigh.

He snorted. "That's an understatement. Shepard, you're gorgeous. But, I'm not through looking yet." Garrus continued to keep Shepard at arm's length. "Your skin is so fair…." He reached out and lightly ran his fingers over her breasts; she shivered at his touch. He slowly ran his hand down her stomach to the nest of strawberry-blonde curls between her legs. Shepard gasped. As he ran his fingers gently through the curls he said "I haven't seen many humans with hair the color of yours; apparently it's natural?"

She laughed. "It is. Red hair is the rarest of all human hair colors. Human races are now so intermingled, it's even rarer than it used to be."

"Turn around; I want to see all of you." When she presented her back to him, Garrus groaned. "Shepard, you have the best ass I have ever seen," he said, reaching out to caress it. She quickly stepped back and sat on his lap, wiggling her ass firmly against him.

Garrus grabbed her around the waist and growled in her ear, "Has anyone ever told you that you have a mean streak?"

Laughing, Shepard turned sideways on his lap so she could look at him. "You wanted to see a naked human female," she reminded him. She reached up and began to stroke the soft skin on his neck.

Garrus closed his eyes and shivered. "Shepard - for turians, the touch of bare skin against the soft skin on our neck is very intimate. Our necks are one of the most sensitive areas on our bodies."

"Really? That's good to know" she replied as she continued to stroke his neck. "Maybe I should have been a turian."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"My neck is also one of the more – ah – _sensitive_ areas of my body. The thought of the rough skin of your mouth against the skin of my neck is _very_ arousing."

His eyes snapped open. "You've been thinking about that?"

"Frequently. And many, many other things" she replied, leaning forward to run her tongue lightly across his neck. "The only thing stopping me from ripping your clothes off and having my way with you right now is the fact that I don't want either of us – or worse, both of us – to wind up in the Med Lab in anaphylactic shock."

"You know about that?" Garrus seemed surprised.

Shepard kissed him again, got up and put her robe back on. "Just to reduce temptation," she assured him as she led him to the couch. "The last time I went to talk to Mordin, he suddenly started telling me that 'sexual activity is a normal form of stress relief for both humans and turians', then proceeded to warn me about the possibility of anaphylactic shock and told me that I shouldn't 'ingest'. He also warned me against chafing." She rolled her eyes. "All in all, it was one of the most uncomfortable conversations I have ever had with a team member." She shook her head. "I never have remembered what I actually went to talk to him about. For the life of me, I haven't been able to figure out how he knew about the attraction between us."

Garrus clenched his mandibles together, seeming embarrassed. "I had something to do with that. Like I said, I was – _am_ – attracted to you. Mordin is a scientist, a doctor, a _guy_ – I asked him for advice on how to proceed with a turian/human relationship. Talking to Dr. Chakwas would have been _way_ too embarrassing. I had no idea he would say something to you."

"It's okay," Shepard laid her hand on his arm and looked him in the eye. "We need to know these things. I intend to make _sure_ that our first night together is a night to treasure and I can't do that _without _ingesting."

"Really?" Garrus sounded a little breathless.

"Really." She moved closer and began stroking his mandibles. "I intend to introduce you to human-style kissing – which will involve exchanging saliva." Her voice lowered as she continued, "There will also be a great deal of licking and quite possibly biting involved."

"Biting?" his eyes widened. "Turians bite. I didn't know that humans do."

"This one does." She bit him gently on the neck in demonstration.

Garrus opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. He finally just shook his head.

"Well, this is something I never thought I'd see…the ever articulate Garrus at a loss for words. I'm going to have to savor this for a few minutes." She leaned back and looked at him archly, blue eyes twinkling. Garrus scowled.

Shepard laughed, threw her arms around his neck and kissed him soundly on the mandible. "Oh, Garrus – I do love to tease you! It isn't easy to get the best of you in a conversation. You have to let me enjoy my small victories."

Garrus hugged her back. "Shepard, I've never had a female friend that I could joke and tease with so easily."

"That, my dear Garrus, is _exactly_ why being best friends is so important to a relationship," she replied.

Garrus hugged her again, then stood up and said "Good night, Shepard. I better leave before temptation gets the best of either of us."

"Good night, Garrus" she replied. "However, you owe me one. I've never seen a naked turian male – we're going to have to rectify that situation _very_ soon." She reached out and stroked his cock; it quivered against her hand. Garrus shuddered, then bolted out of her cabin.

Grinning, Shepard shed her robe and climbed into bed where she grabbed Hershey and almost hugged the stuffing out of him. "Hershey," she said seriously "I do love that man." Startled by her own words, she repeated them slowly, "I do love that man." The shift of her feelings from friendship to love had been so subtle that she couldn't pinpoint when it had happened. However, it _had_ happened and the realization filled her with joy. As always, she knew that she could trust Hershey with her secret. She eventually drifted off to sleep, still hugging the bear.

####

While Shepard was sharing secrets with her bear, Garrus endured the interminable elevator ride to the crew quarters. He considered taking another cold shower, but decided against it. _Cold showers really don't help_ he thought; _I just wind up horny AND cold_. He had recommended that he and Shepard wait until just before going to battle the Collectors before consummating their relationship. Now, he was beginning to think that was a _really_ bad idea; that could be _weeks_ and his need was almost unbearable. _I'll show _her _a night to_ _treasure…_


	7. Chapter 7

"Damn that man! He _knew_ this was a trap – he set us up!" Shepard fumed as she, Garrus, and Samara ran through the Collector ship. "If I ever get to see him face-to-face, I'm going to…"

"Shepard," Garrus interrupted. "How about saving some of that anger for the Collectors?"

"No problem. I'm just going to picture the Illusive Man's face on every one of them. _That_ should ensure a perfect head shot every time."

The Illusive Man sent them to this "derelict" ship, telling them that it had been disabled by a turian patrol. However, EDI had just informed them that the turian distress signal was a fake and that there was no way that the Illusive Man could have thought otherwise. To make things even better, Joker had informed them that the ship was powering up and that they needed to get back to the Normandy before the Collectors could bring their weapons online.

The husks they encountered were no problem – Linda's Shockwave was powerful enough to destroy them without her team even breaking stride. The Collector drones were a different matter entirely. The team had to stop to battle them, slowing their escape. Of course, wherever there were drones, Harbinger put in an appearance – or several - slowing things down even more.

The team quickly scouted for ammo at the scene of their most recent battle, then moved into the next room. EDI announced that she was opening a door for them on the far side.

"Enemies approaching," Samara said quietly. Samara was possibly even calmer in combat situations than Garrus, which was saying a lot.

Shepard quickly scouted the room and saw several husks and a few drones making their way toward them. _No problem_, she thought. Then, she saw movement out of the corner of her eye. "_Crap!_ Praetorian inbound - everybody stay sharp," she yelled. "Samara – we encountered a Praetorian on Horizon. These things are tough – barriers and armor. We can wear it down, but make sure you keep moving; standing still is a death sentence."

"Understood, Commander," Samara replied.

Garrus said "Shepard, I'll draw its fire while you and Samara take care of the others. Once they're gone, we can all concentrate on the Praetorian."

Shepard nodded her agreement. "Just be careful."

The Praetorian immediately headed toward Shepard. Garrus stepped into its line of sight and began firing; it hesitated and then moved toward him.

Linda and Samara finished off the husks and drones and turned to help Garrus just as a drone that had been hidden behind a column stepped out and fired on him from behind. As Garrus hit the ground, Shepard took out the drone with a burst of incendiary rounds from her Tempest SMG.

"Samara – be careful! We can take out the Praetorian together, but neither of us can do it alone." Shepard tried to raise Garrus over the radio; "Garrus? Garrus, can you hear me?" The only response was a low moan.

Shepard and Samara ran, ducking behind cover and leaping out to take shots at the Praetorian before running to the next position. After what seemed like hours, the Praetorian was dead.

Shepard ran to Garrus. "Garrus? Garrus!" She shook him, trying to get a response. He moaned. She applied medi-gel and waited impatiently for it to take effect. His eyes opened and slowly focused on her. "Hey you, welcome back" she said with a smile. "Where do you hurt?"

"My side," he replied, grimacing.

"Can you sit up?" she asked.

"Yeah, now that the medi-gel has kicked in, I can." Shepard and Samara helped him sit up.

"OK, we have to get out of here. Samara and I can help you, but we can't carry you. Are you ready for this?"

"Ready, Shepard," Garrus replied. They helped him to his feet and headed across the room; just as they reached the door, it closed.

"Great!" Shepard fumed. "EDI, we need another way out of here."

"Already working on it Commander," EDI replied. She quickly opened another door nearby. As they entered the next room, Collector Drones began firing on them.

Shepard ordered Garrus down behind a barricade. "_You_ are sitting this one out," she informed him brusquely. "Samara and I can take care of these guys."

"Shepard…" Garrus began, getting to his feet.

Shepard pushed him back down. "Apparently you misunderstood me Vakarian. _You are sitting this one out._ That is an order!"

"Yes ma'am" Garrus replied, struggling to hide a smile. He knelt behind the barricade to watch the battle. The three of them made an excellent team. While Shepard tried to include all of her team members on missions, he knew that she considered he and Samara to be her "kick ass" team. They were the ones she turned to when the mission facing them was expected to be especially difficult. Their combination of combat skills and biotics, even their personalities blended well, making them particularly effective and efficient. He also knew that Shepard considered him her unofficial second-in-command and was flattered by her trust.

Garrus watched with admiration as the women performed their ballet of bullets and biotics. He noticed a drone attempting to flank Shepard as she battled Harbinger. He quietly pulled his sniper rifle, aimed carefully, and took the drone down with a single shot – before Shepard even knew it was near. Harbinger dissipated just as the drone fell; Shepard heard the shot and wheeled around to glare at Garrus. She saw the body of the drone and realizing what had happened, flashed him an apologetic grin, shouted "Thanks" and rejoined the battle. Within minutes, the room had been cleared.

As the team regrouped, Joker recommended that they haul ass – the Collector weapon systems were coming online.

"Roger that, Joker," Shepard responded; "we'll be back on board shortly."

As they ran down the next corridor, Shepard kept a close eye on Garrus. She could tell that he was in pain, but he was holding up well. Husks were coming from everywhere. Without slowing down, Shepard unleashed volley after volley of devastating Shockwaves, while Samara and Garrus picked off the stragglers. They practically fell into the shuttle and made the short flight to the Normandy. Joker had the big ship moving as they entered the hangar and EDI managed to get the Normandy out of harm's way just in time.

####

On board the Normandy, Shepard and Samara helped Garrus to the Med Lab – over his protests.

"Shepard – I'm fine. I don't need to see the doctor!" Garrus insisted.

"Garrus – quit whining! You're going and that is final. You're injured and in pain; once the medi-gel wears off, it is only going to get worse."

After getting details on the nature of Garrus' injury, Dr. Chakwas asked the women to wait outside while she conducted her initial evaluation. Just as the Med Lab doors closed behind them, Joker informed Shepard that the Illusive Man wanted to speak to her; "I figure you have a few choice words for him as well," he added with a chuckle.

"Damn straight," Shepard said as she headed for the Comm Room; "I'll talk to you later Samara."

####

"Asshole," Shepard muttered as she left the Comm Room. She and the Illusive Man had exchanged several harsh words. As usual, he was full of noble excuses for his actions; her team "had to be surprised", he knew "they wouldn't have any problems", "just look at how much we learned", etc, etc. No matter how many excuses he made, Shepard didn't appreciate being stabbed in the back by the one she was supposed to be working with/for. She decided to go see Samara; the asari always had a soothing effect on her and she really needed to calm down before checking on Garrus.

####

Shepard entered the starboard observatory and found Samara meditating – as usual.

"Shepard," Samara said without turning around.

"Do you have time to talk?" Shepard asked.

"Of course," Samara replied, indicating that Shepard should sit next to her.

As Shepard sat down, Samara said "I sense anger in you Shepard."

As Shepard propped her head on her knees, she responded "Talking to the Illusive Man usually has that effect on me. I _don't_ trust him. I still can't believe that I'm working with Cerberus."

Unable to sit still, Shepard stood up and began pacing. "On the first Normandy, my team and I battled Cerberus many times. They were doing such terrible things…and now I'm working with them."

Samara listened as Shepard continued. "Cerberus gave me back my life - I will always be grateful for that. The Illusive Man also sees that the Reapers are still a threat. The Alliance and the Council are in denial – they refuse to see the truth. So now I find myself working with the organization that I used to fight in an effort to save the galaxy – and alienating good friends in the process." She thought briefly of Kaidan, and then shook her head.

Samara replied, "Cerberus has the resources that you require to battle the Collectors successfully. They revived you, they did _not_ recreate you. You are still you; you have the same values, the same beliefs. Yes, Cerberus is using you, but _you_ are also using them – as well you should. The fate of the galaxy depends on the success of this ship, this team. We will all have to step outside of our comfort zones if we are to succeed."

Shepard smiled. "Thanks, Samara. You can always make me feel better. We haven't known each other long, but I already consider you a good friend."

Standing up, Samara replied "And I you, Shepard. Once this is over, you may call on me anytime. I will always come to your aid."

"Thank you, that means a lot" Shepard replied. "On a completely separate note, have you met Thane yet?"

"The Drell? No – I have not. Why do you ask?" Samara asked curiously.

"There is a deep sadness in Thane. He lost his wife several years ago and has lived in regret over the decisions he made regarding his son. He hasn't had many friends over the past ten years. I'm trying to encourage him to leave the Life Support room more and get to know the crew. I thought maybe you could help with that." Shepard raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"Shepard…" Samara began sternly.

"What? Oh – no, don't worry," Shepard said shaking her head emphatically. "I know you're not interested in developing any sort of romantic relationship. I'm not trying to set you up with Thane. I would simply like for you to meet him and talk to him. The Code of the Justicar has brought you peace with many of the same situations that Thane has dealt with. I'm hoping that maybe you can help him find some of that peace as well. What do you say?"

"Yes, Shepard. I will meet Thane and help him if I can. When is this meeting to take place?"

"Glad you asked," Shepard replied with a grin. "How about tomorrow? I've instructed Joker to take the Normandy to Ilium. I'm giving the crew four days of well deserved shore leave. I thought the three of us could spend some time together."

"Tomorrow it is," Samara replied. She smiled at Shepard and said "Now, I think there is another member of the team that needs your attention. Get out of here – go and see Garrus."

"Yes ma'am," Shepard replied, hugging Samara quickly. "I'll see you tomorrow."


	8. Chapter 8

Garrus looked up as the door to the Med Lab opened. He saw Shepard scanning the room, looking for him. The way her eyes lit up when she saw him took his breath away. She walked quickly to his side, took his hand in hers and pressed it to her lips.

"Hey, you," Shepard said. "You gave me a scare today. How are you doing?" She glanced at the large bandage wrapped around his torso.

"I'm okay, but Dr. Chakwas won't let me out of here," he complained.

"I see the good doctor managed to get you out of your shirt," Shepard said, running her eyes appreciatively over his arms and torso. "That's more than I have managed to do."

"Shepard…" Garrus began.

"Hush Garrus," she said, placing her free hand gently over his mouth. "I'm teasing you. If I don't, I might cry."

Startled, Garrus saw that she really did have tears in her eyes. He reached up, wincing as he did so, and pulled Shepard's head down and rested it against his, forehead to forehead.

Dr. Chakwas found them in this position; she cleared her throat to get their attention. They both jumped, and pulled apart quickly; however, Shepard kept a firm grip on Garrus' hand.

"Doctor," Shepard said, sounding much calmer than she actually felt, "what's the verdict?" She saw the smile in Dr. Chakwas' eyes and knew that she was aware of their clasped hands and what it meant.

"He has some burns from the drone's particle beam. A turian's skin is designed to protect them from the low-level radiation on Palaven, but it can't stop a directed energy bolt. The wounds will be painful for a few days, but should heal well. However, there will probably be some scarring."

"Great," Garrus grumbled, "more scars."

"Garrus," Shepard said affectionately, smiling down at him, "you will always be handsome to me, no matter how many scars you have." Garrus seemed both pleased and embarrassed at the same time. Directing her attention back to the doctor, she asked "If the wounds should heal well, why have you confined him to the Med Lab?"

The doctor replied, "The wounds are not life-threatening, thanks to his thick skin. I have given him a broad-spectrum antibiotic that _should_ protect him from any bacteria that may have been on the Collector ship. However, burns can get infected easily. I want to keep Garrus under observation for a couple of days just to make sure that his wounds are healing properly. If everything looks good in 48 hours, he will be free to resume his duties." Fixing Garrus with a steely gaze, she continued, "Also, I've had Garrus under my care before. He isn't known for giving himself time to recuperate as he should. I want to keep him here where I can make sure that he does."

Dr. Chakwas shifted her gaze to include Linda. "Since I have you both here, there is another topic that we need to discuss."

Shepard and Garrus glanced at each other questioningly. "What?" they asked simultaneously.

The doctor replied, "It is quite obvious that you two have developed deep feelings for each other. When do you intend to consummate your relationship?"

"Uh, Doctor, don't you think that's a little personal?" Shepard asked. Garrus noticed that her face was almost as red as her hair; he was glad that turians don't blush.

"Normally, it would be. However, the well-being of the entire crew is my responsibility."

"What does our relationship have to do with the well-being of the entire crew? We have been very discreet," Shepard responded, confused.

Dr. Chakwas put her hands on her hips. "Shepard, your relationship with Garrus is the worst-kept secret on this ship!" She held up her hand to stop them as they both opened their mouths to respond. "Yes, you have been discreet, but anyone in the same room with you can _feel_ the sexual tension between you. If you don't consummate your relationship soon, everyone on the ship is going to be taking cold showers!"

"They don't help," they both said and then laughed.

Shepard looked squarely at the doctor, took a deep breath, and got straight to the point. "There's a slight problem with consummating our relationship. If either of us – ah – _ingests_ any of the other's skin cells, we could go into anaphylactic shock, or worse. Not exactly the perfect ending to an evening of romance and passion." Garrus thought her face had gotten even redder, if that was possible.

"Is that all?" Dr. Chakwas seemed surprised. "There are all sorts of medications available to prevent allergic reactions in humans. I don't know if any of them will prevent a reaction _to_ turians, nor do I know what is available _for_ turians. I suggest you talk to Mordin – I'm sure he can develop a satisfactory treatment for both of you." She patted their clasped hands, smiled at them, and then went to her desk to give them what little privacy she could.

Garrus grinned. "Gee Shepard; I didn't know it was possible for your face to get so red."

Shepard stuck her tongue out at him. "I don't have to worry about being killed by the Collectors; I'm just going to die of embarrassment right here on my own ship." She shook her head. "I don't think I have blushed this much since I was a teenager – _and_ I still have to talk to Mordin. Hmm, while he is at it, maybe he can create a cure for blushing."

"Do you have to leave?" Garrus asked. "Stay with me for a while."

"Gladly," Shepard replied. "You know, this is the first time I've ever seen you without your visor." She cocked her head as she carefully studied his face. "Very nice," she told him with a smile. Once again, she let her eyes roam over his upper body. She ran her hand down the well-defined muscles in his arm. "You need to heal quickly so you can get that bandage removed – it's blocking my view."

Garrus shifted uncomfortably.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Remember when you told me that you didn't want me to be disappointed in your body?" His eyes were filled with concern. "Well, I don't want you to be disappointed in mine."

"Disappointed? Not possible." Shepard met his gaze so he could see her sincerity. "I was serious when I said that you will always be handsome to me. I can't even see most of your body, but I think you are gorgeous."

"Really?"

"Really. But sooner or later - preferably sooner – you are going to have to let me see everything." She cocked her eyebrow at him. "Deal?"

"Deal." Garrus surprised her by pressing her hand to his mouth.

After an hour, Dr. Chakwas insisted that Shepard leave so that Garrus could get some rest. Linda leaned over and kissed Garrus on the forehead. "Be good. I'll check on you again after I talk to Mordin."

####

Shepard left the Tech Lab sometime later, extremely pleased with how things had gone. It turned out that Mordin had already developed anti-allergens for both she _and_ Garrus; he seemed to have taken the success of their human/turian relationship as a personal challenge to his skills. He had promised to teach Dr. Chakwas how to create both medications and to detail the process in his logs "just in case". Shepard had startled the solarian by hugging him. She was still grinning at his reaction.

She stopped by the Med Lab to see Garrus as she had promised; he was asleep.

Dr. Chakwas motioned for Shepard to come to her desk. "Garrus was in more pain than he wanted you to know. I gave him a fairly strong pain reliever; he will sleep for a while. I'll let him know that you stopped by."

"Thanks Doc," Shepard replied. "I know you'll take good care of him."

Linda stopped by Garrus' bed and watched him sleep. She was amazed at the range of emotions that flowed through her whenever she was near him. She knew that on the first Normandy, she had been distant and had kept most people at arm's length; even those that she did let get close very rarely saw the real woman inside the Commander. She had learned the hard way that life was much too short to live that way. She had been given a second chance and didn't intend to make the same mistakes twice. She leaned over and kissed Garrus softly. She pressed her forehead to his and whispered "I love you, Garrus. Sleep tight, handsome." Giving the doctor a wave, she left the Med Lab and headed to her cabin.

####

Shepard was taking the first sip of her hot chocolate when she thought she heard someone at the cabin door. She opened the door and Garrus practically fell in.

"Garrus? What are you doing here? You should be in the Med Lab! Does Dr. Chakwas know where you are?" she demanded.

"Yes, I'd love to come in. Thanks for asking," Garrus replied as he caught himself on the edge of the door. Apparently, his sense of humor was uninjured. He stood up and entered the cabin – or at least tried to. His knees buckled and Shepard caught him before he could fall. She hooked his left arm over her shoulders, avoiding his injured right side, and helped him to her bed.

"Lay down Vakarian. _That's an order_," she added as he started to argue.

"Yes ma'am," he said with a grimace.

As soon as Garrus was settled, Shepard said "I'm going to ask you again; what are you doing here? Why aren't you in the Med Lab?"

Looking somewhat shame-faced, Garrus replied "I don't want to stay there; it's so sterile and lonely. I want to be here with you."

"Does Dr. Chakwas know where you are?"

"Not exactly. When she went to the mess hall to grab something to eat, I snuck out and came here."

"Garrus," Shepard sighed, "she is going to kill both of us. I've got to let her know where you are." Before she could get to the intercom, the cabin door chimed. "One guess who that is," she said with a glare at Garrus.

Shepard opened the door and Dr. Chakwas stormed in. "What is going on here?" she demanded.

"Calm down, Doctor. I was on my way to the intercom to let you know that Garrus is here. He just arrived."

Striding to the bed, Dr. Chakwas aimed her anger at Garrus. "I don't appreciate my patients sneaking out Garrus. Care to tell me what you were thinking?"

"Doctor," Garrus snapped back, "your Med Lab leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to comfort. I don't intend to be miserable for two days just so you can keep me 'under observation'."

"Garrus…" the doctor began.

Shepard went into Commander Mode. "Quiet – both of you!" she barked, "We are going to discuss this calmly and rationally like the mature adults that we are. Understood?" She fixed each of them with a stern look.

"Understood," they both replied.

"Good. Doctor, please have a seat." Shepard motioned to the couch. She pulled out her desk chair and positioned it between the bed and couch, facing the combatants. Turning to Garrus, she said, "It _was_ wrong for you to leave the Med Bay like that. You could have talked to Dr. Chakwas about your concerns; she is a reasonable woman."

Garrus clenched his mandibles in embarrassment. He looked at the doctor, nodded, and said, "You have every right to be angry with me. I shouldn't have snuck out. I'm sorry."

"Apology accepted," the doctor responded graciously.

"Now, Doctor," Shepard began, turning to her. "Is there any medical reason requiring Garrus to remain in the Med Lab? We're on the way to Ilium for four days of shore leave, so there is no danger of him going into combat. Can he just be confined to quarters for a couple of days? He can come to you for periodic checkups, or you can go to him."

"I am willing to confine him to quarters, but I don't want him sneaking off to Ilium or to the main battery." The doctor raised her eyebrow at Garrus. _Pretty good Shepard impression_, he thought to himself.

"I have a proposal for both of you," Shepard began, willing herself not to blush. "I recommend that Garrus stay here – in my quarters. When I'm here, I will make sure that he behaves; when I'm away, EDI will make sure that he doesn't go anywhere. Right EDI?"

"As you wish Commander," the AI responded.

"Now before anyone says anything – and I know you're both thinking it – I promise that _I _will also behave. Garrus' virtue is safe with me. But only until the doctor dismisses you," she added, turning to him. "After that, no guarantees." Garrus just grinned at her. "Is this arrangement acceptable to both of you?" she asked.

"Yes," they both replied.

The doctor stood up. "Garrus – I _insist_ that you stay in bed tomorrow; rest, sleep, let your body heal. I will leave a hypo-spray of pain medication in case you need it. I will check on you tomorrow evening."

"I will, Doctor; I promise," Garrus assured her. "And Doctor? Thank you."

Dr. Chakwas smiled. "You're welcome." She handed Shepard the hypo-spray. "It's best to apply the hypo-spray to the skin on his neck," she instructed. "His skin is thinner there, allowing the medication to be absorbed quicker. Call me if you need anything. Good night." She turned and headed for the door.

Shepard followed the doctor to the elevator. "Thank you Doctor," she said.

"You're welcome, Commander" the doctor replied. She studied Shepard for a moment. "Are you in love with him?" she asked, inclining her head toward Shepard's cabin.

Shepard looked her in the eyes. "Yes, I am" she replied quietly.

The doctor smiled as she reached out and squeezed Shepard's arm gently. "I'm glad, Shepard; it's good to see you happy. I'll see you tomorrow." With that, the Doctor closed the elevator door and headed back to the Med Lab.

Shepard went back into the cabin and walked to the bedroom. She stood with her hands on her hips, looking across the bed at Garrus. "There is never a dull moment with you around, is there?" she asked.

"I do what I can," he said with a grin.

"By the way," Shepard said, "just because you are in my bed _doesn't_ mean that I'm sleeping on the couch. There is plenty of room for both of us." Giving him a grin she added, "I usually sleep in the nude, but I'll leave my robe on tonight. I don't want to distress you while you are in such a delicate condition."

Garrus patted the mattress beside him. Shepard climbed into bed and lay next to him. Garrus eased himself onto his back and pulled Shepard against his uninjured left side; she snuggled up with her head on his shoulder. They lay in silence, just holding each other. It had been a long day; Linda could feel herself drifting off to sleep.

"Linda?" Garrus said.

"Hmmmm?" she replied sleepily, pleased at his use of her first name.

"I love you, too."


	9. Chapter 9

Suddenly, Linda was no longer sleepy. She sat bolt upright and looked at Garrus, who was once again grinning at her. Her mouth worked madly as several things struggled to come out; she finally managed to croak, "You….heard….me? I thought you were asleep!"

"Dr. Chakwas had given me a pain reliever. I must have been in shock from my wounds because it really knocked me on my ass – or would have if I hadn't already been lying down. I was fighting the effects because I wanted to be awake when you came back. At that point, I was conscious but so lethargic, I couldn't respond. By the time I could, you were already gone." An amazing array of emotions crossed Shepard's face, prompting Garrus to ask, "Shepard, are you alright?"

Hearing the concern in his voice, Linda reached out and took his hand in hers. "Yes. I just don't know if I am going to laugh, cry, or throw up."

Startled, Garrus replied, "If you're going to throw up, please do it somewhere else. I do love you, but I draw the line at getting barfed on."

Shepard laughed and wiped away the tears that she had not even realized were running down her cheeks. "OK – I guess I'm just going to laugh _and_ cry!"

"Why did you tell me that you loved me when you thought I couldn't hear you?"

"This is new territory for me," Shepard said without meeting Garrus' eyes. "I knew that we had feelings for each other, but it kind of took me by surprise when I realized that I am totally, completely, head-over-heels in love with you." Looking up at him, she continued, "I wanted to tell you, but I was afraid. Telling you for the first time while you were asleep seemed to be the safest thing to do. That way, I could say the words, but not be hurt by your reaction if you didn't feel the same way." Looking down again, she added softly, "It felt so good to tell you, I wished that you _could_ hear me."

Garrus removed his hand from hers and reached up to wipe away the new tears slowly tracking down her face. "Apparently, sometimes wishes do come true. But, why were you afraid?" he asked gently. "I've never known you to be afraid of anything."

Shepard gave him a small smile. "Give me a gun and something to shoot and I'm fine. The emotional stuff doesn't come as easily to me." Ducking her head, she continued "You're the only man – other than my father – that I've said those words to. It's a big deal for me."

"It's a big deal for me too. I've been in love with you for a long time Shepard. I never dared to hope that you would ever love me back." Garrus reached up carefully and pulled Shepard back down on the bed, once again settling her against his side. They lay there, watching the stars through the window over the bed.

"Sometimes I forget just how beautiful the universe really is," Shepard said with a sigh.

"Beautiful," Garrus agreed – but he was looking at Shepard, not the stars. He grunted as he shifted positions slightly.

Concerned, Shepard asked "Are you in pain? Should I get the hypo-spray?"

"Relax, Shepard. I'm uncomfortable, but I'm alright. If I have problems sleeping, I'll let you know and you can get the hypo-spray then. In the meantime, I have everything I need right here." He hugged her tenderly.

Shepard looked him in the eyes and said with a smile, "I love you, Garrus. Sleep tight, handsome." She was still smiling when she fell asleep.

####

"OK, tough guy," Shepard said as she approached the bed with the hypo-spray that Dr. Chakwas left the previous evening. "I'm going to give you a dose of pain medication before I leave. No arguing allowed," she added as Garrus opened his mouth to do just that. "For me, a wound is always the most painful the second day. You are going to be sleeping anyway, so where's the harm?"

"I don't like being under the influence of medication," Garrus griped. "I don't like feeling like I'm not in control of myself."

"I understand – I feel the same way. However, you are perfectly safe here in my quarters; the door will be locked and EDI will keep an eye on you. I'm also being purely selfish. I'm hoping that if you sleep well today, when Dr. Chakwas checks on you tonight maybe she will go ahead and dismiss you early. I would like to spend most of my shore leave with you."

Garrus searched her face for a moment, and then nodded. "Go ahead, Shepard. But you owe me one – just remember that."

Shepard pressed the hypo-spray against his neck, then leaned over and kissed the injection site; she pressed her forehead against his. "Sleep well. I'll be back before you know it. I hate to leave you, but I asked Samara and Thane to spend some time with me on Ilium today. I really think those two will hit it off; they have a lot in common."

As she stood up to leave, Garrus grabbed her hand and pulled her back down beside him. "Aren't you forgetting something? Aren't you supposed to tell me that you love me?"

"You're absolutely right. I love you, Garrus" she told him, stroking his scarred mandible.

"That's better. I love you too. Have fun today." With that, he turned onto his left side, pulled the covers up over his shoulders, closed his eyes, gave a deep sigh, and went to sleep. Shepard watched him for a moment, then smiled and made her way out of the cabin.

####

As Linda had suspected they would, Thane and Samara connected immediately. They discussed their children and the decisions that they had made in child-rearing, and in Samara's case, child-killing. Thane was amazed at the sense of peace that flowed from Samara; he was fascinated by the Code of the Justicar and listened intently as Samara explained it to him. Shepard also thought she saw more than a slight appreciation for Samara's extremely feminine form in Thane's eyes. She smiled to herself – Samara had proven that Miranda was _not_ the only female that considered skin-tight leather and knee-high, high-heeled boots appropriate battle gear.

The two of them introduced Shepard to areas of Ilium that she had never seen before. She was amazed at the variety of shops, restaurants, casinos, brothels, and other businesses present. There was something available for every known species and all tastes – no matter how perverse.

When Thane and Samara decided to grab some lunch, Shepard bid them farewell. She spent some time wandering around on her own, familiarizing herself with the area and making note of places that might appeal to Garrus. Occasionally she ran into other members of the crew and spent time making small talk with them. She even saw Jacob and Miranda enjoying a romantic meal at an outdoor café; they both looked very happy. She gave them a wave, but didn't stop to talk.

####

Shepard entered her cabin quietly, her arms laden with containers. She made her way to the sitting area and put everything down carefully so that she wouldn't disturb Garrus. When she turned to look at him, she froze. Garrus was still curled up on his side asleep, but he had Hershey clutched tightly to his chest, with his face buried in the bear's fur. Shepard's heart clenched at the sweetness of the scene; she stood there, trying to engrave it into her memory – she didn't ever want to forget it.

Garrus opened one eye.

"Hey, you," Shepard said softly.

He held one hand out to her, keeping a firm grip on the bear with the other. "What are you looking at?" he asked sleepily.

Shepard took his hand and slid onto the bed. "You and Hershey," she replied. "I have never seen anything so totally cute in my entire life."

"He smells like you," Garrus explained.

"You truly are the sweetest man I have ever met," she replied, leaning over to press her forehead to his. "How are you feeling?"

Garrus rolled onto his back and stretched carefully; his mandibles flared in surprise. "Better. That didn't hurt; I guess the pain medication was a good idea," he admitted grudgingly.

"I thought you might be hungry, so I brought you some supper. Do you feel like moving to the sitting area to eat?"

"Sure." He cocked his head at her as he sniffed the air. "Something smells wonderful."

"I found a kiosk specializing in turian food. The proprietor – the first female turian I have ever seen, by the way - helped me decide what to get for you. She seemed both surprised and pleased that a human would care enough about a turian to want to surprise him with a meal. I described your tattoo to her and she recommended some dishes from that region. I hope you like them."

Garrus began opening containers curiously. "Shepard – these are wonderful. I haven't had some of these dishes in years. Thank you."

"You're most welcome. You know, you really need to give me a few lessons in turian food so I don't have to keep guessing at what you might like." She arched an eyebrow at him.

"I could say the same for you," he replied as Shepard began opening her containers. "What _is_ that? It looks disgusting!"

Shepard pointed to various items as she named them. "This is pizza, this is a slaw dog, and these are chili cheese fries with jalapenos. I haven't had any of these things in years either. None of it is very nutritious, but _all_ of it is wonderful." She sighed happily and bit into her meal with gusto.

They had finished their meals and Shepard was filling Garrus in on her day when Dr. Chakwas came to check on his wounds.

"Doctor, would you like for me to wait in the hall to give you some privacy for the exam?" Shepard asked.

"It's alright with me if you stay as long as it's okay with Garrus." She cocked her head at him questioningly.

"You can stay, Shepard – just try not to swoon over the sight of my naked torso."

"I'll try, but I'm not making any promises. Doctor, do you have any smelling salts just in case?"

The doctor just smiled and shook her head at them as she proceeded to remove the bandage.

Shepard didn't think that she was in any danger of swooning, but the sight of Garrus' naked torso did in fact take her breath away. The others were focused on the exam, so she allowed her eyes to roam freely, taking in as many details as she could. She was amazed that Garrus could be both so human and so completely alien at the same time.

Linda had always admired men's arms and loved to watch the way their muscles moved and flexed under the skin. Garrus' arms were very similar to those of a human male; his skin made his musculature just that much more obvious; a definite plus in Shepard's book. She already knew that his bony collar left ample room for her to get her arms around his neck – a requirement for the type of kissing that she intended to introduce him to. She liked the definition that his plates gave his torso – _sort of a turian "six pack_", she thought with a grin. _The bony ridge down his chest might be a little awkward during love-making_, _but I'm sure we can come up with some creative ways to work around it_. Shepard suddenly realized that both the doctor and Garrus were watching her as she studied him; she felt her face redden.

"See anything you like, Shepard?" Garrus asked; she could see the twinkle in his eye.

"Oh, yeah," she replied, arching her eyebrow at him. "You _definitely_ need to hurry up and get well. What's the prognosis Doctor?"

Dr. Chakwas shook her head and said "Garrus, I'm astonished at how quickly you heal. New skin is already forming over your wounds; it's absolutely amazing. I'm going to clean your wounds, treat them with an antibiotic ointment and put on a new dressing. Based on your progress, I think you will definitely be cleared to return to duty in another 24 hours."

As she worked on his wounds, Garrus asked "Doctor, would you allow me to accompany Shepard to Ilium for a few hours tomorrow? I promise to take it easy."

The doctor considered for a moment and then nodded. "Based on the amount of healing that has already occurred, I think it will be okay for you to go ashore for a little while – _but absolutely no strenuous activity_. Your new skin is delicate; I don't want you to damage it. Come and see me when you get back to the ship. If everything still looks good, I will release you." Turning to Linda she added, "Shepard – I'm holding you accountable while you are together. If anything happens to worsen his wounds, the repercussions will fall on you."

"Don't worry Doctor; I'll take good care of him. I have a vested interest in making sure that he is released from your care as soon as possible."

"I know – that's why I'm holding you responsible," the doctor said with a grin. As she left the cabin, she called over her shoulder "I'll see you tomorrow Garrus. Good night, you two."

Once the cabin door closed behind the doctor, Shepard patted the seat next to her. "Ok you, come here. We need to have a chat."

Garrus sat, looking concerned. "This sounds serious. Am I in trouble?"

"Of course not," Shepard replied, moving closer so that she could drape her legs over his. "I just think it's time that we discuss the 'elephant in the room' – meaning our plans to consummate our relationship," she explained when Garrus looked confused. "I know that you recommended that we wait until just before going to battle with the Collectors so that we wouldn't disturb the crew. However, according to what Dr. Chakwas told us, apparently we are _already_ disturbing the crew." Looking Garrus in the eyes, she continued seriously, "You gave me a scare yesterday. This is a dangerous mission; something could happen to either of us at anytime. I don't want to waste a single minute of the time we have together _and_ I don't want to risk losing the chance to become your lover."

"You don't have to convince me Shepard. Believe me, I have been having serious doubts about my recommendation that we wait. After all, a man can only take so many cold showers. When do you want to - uh - 'book the room' I believe is the way you put it?" he asked.

"How about tomorrow?" she asked with a grin. "Provided of course, that Dr. Chakwas releases you from her care."

"Tomorrow it is," Garrus replied with a growl.


	10. Chapter 10

The next morning, as Garrus set out the breakfast that Rupert had provided, Shepard appeared with a hypo-spray in each hand. "If we are going ahead with our plans to 'blow off steam' later today, we need to use the anti-allergens that Mordin prepared for us. He made them easy to identify; the color of the serum matches the color of our blood, so mine is red and yours is blue." She handed Garrus the appropriate apparatus and they each applied the hypo-spray to their neck.

"How long does it take this stuff to work?" Garrus asked.

"Mordin said that it should take effect in a matter of minutes. I thought we would test it after we eat."

"Test it how? What exactly did you have in mind?"

"You'll see," Linda replied with a twinkle in her eye.

After they had eaten and cleared away the dishes, Shepard approached Garrus with purpose. Sitting in his lap on the couch, she informed him, "Now, it's time for a lesson in kissing – _human_ style." She tilted her face up to his and put one hand behind his head, pulling him toward her. "The most basic form of kissing is simply the pressing together of lips," she said and then demonstrated, pressing her lips to his mouth. It felt odd to kiss someone with no lips, but she wasn't about to let that interfere with the lesson.

Pulling away briefly, she continued "The more advanced forms proceed from there." She then continued her demonstration by showering his mandibles with tiny kisses. Garrus sat very still, almost holding his breath. Shepard shifted her focus to his mouth which she began tracing lightly with her tongue. She felt Garrus' arms go around her as he groaned and opened his mouth slightly. Needing no further invitation, Shepard began investigating his mouth with her tongue; fortunately, his needle-sharp teeth were located along the sides of his mouth so she could explore without fear of laceration. As soon as her tongue touched his, Garrus responded with enthusiasm. His arms tightened around her, pulling her against him as his tongue began its own explorations. As he deepened the kiss, his mandibles fluttered against Shepard's cheeks causing her to moan with pleasure. Suddenly, Garrus pushed her away. Startled, Shepard opened her eyes to see him looking at her with astonishment; she noticed that he was breathing heavily, as was she.

"Now I see why humans enjoy kissing so much," Garrus panted. "Is it always like that?"

Linda shook her head; she was panting as hard as he was. "No, it definitely _isn't_ always like that. You, my dear, are a quick study; that kiss was…..amazing." She struggled to explain, "The level of attraction between the participants has a direct impact on the intensity of the kiss." She added with a grin, "Of course, the fact that we're both as horny as hell doesn't hurt!"

Garrus reached out and pulled her against him again. "I think I need more practice," he growled as he bent his head to hers once again. Shepard sighed and melted against him. She noticed that he was getting braver; as they kissed, he ran one taloned hand into her hair while the other caressed her breast. She allowed her hands to roam freely over him as well. She noted with pleasure the masculine hardness pressing against her.

When they finally came up for air, Shepard pushed Garrus gently away. "Well, we now know unquestionably that the anti-allergens work. However, I promised the doctor not to let you do anything strenuous before she sees you again tonight; so, I think it would be best if we go to Ilium for a while. I'll get dressed and give you a chance to regain your….composure." She gave a pointed glance at his trousers. As she headed to the shower, Shepard stripped out of her robe so that Garrus would have a good view of her ass as she walked away; she knew he was watching when she heard him groan. _This is going to be fun, _she thought somewhat wickedly.

Watching Shepard's ass as she walked away, Garrus thought, _This is going to be a __long__ day_.

####

When Shepard returned minutes later – fully clothed – Garrus looked her over carefully. "Very nice, Shepard. I've never seen you in civilian clothes before; you look lovely."

"Thank you," she replied with pleasure. She had chosen her outfit carefully, hoping that it would appeal to him. The rich purple color complimented her fair coloring nicely. The seaming accentuated her feminine shape while the deep V of the neckline drew the eye to the gentle swell of her breasts. "Shall we go?" she asked, holding her hand out to him.

Garrus took her hand and pulled her against him for another kiss before they made their way out of the cabin.

####

Once on Ilium, they wandered lazily through the parks and shops, hand-in-hand or arm-in-arm. As they walked, they talked about everything from their childhoods to their dreams for the future and of course, what to have for lunch.

Periodically they found secluded locations in which to conduct brief make-out sessions. During these sessions Garrus had learned two very important things. First, Shepard wasn't kidding when she said that her neck was sensitive; he had quickly learned that kissing, nibbling on, or just caressing her neck with his mouth made her shiver and gasp with pleasure. Secondly, the softness of the human female body had definite advantages. When he pulled Shepard against him, her body molded to his from shoulders to thighs; the warmth of her and the feel of her breasts as they moved against him drove him almost mad with desire.

Their current session ended abruptly when Garrus pushed Linda away from him. "Shepard, we have got to stop for a while. If we keep this up, I am going to come in my pants – and _that_ hasn't happened since I was a teenager." She gave him a wicked grin, but resisted the temptation to press against him again. He continued, "We haven't drawn much attention as a human/turian couple, even though we've made no attempt to hide the fact that we are more than friends. However, I _guarantee_ that we'll draw attention if we walk around with me like this," he indicated the erection straining at his trousers.

"Don't worry, I have an idea. You wait here." Linda gave him a quick kiss and hurried off. When she returned several minutes later she was carrying a blanket and a basket. When Garrus looked at her questioningly, she explained, "This is the equipment that we need for a picnic lunch. You will carry the blanket like this," she pulled his arm across his waist and draped the blanket over it, hiding his erection nicely, "and I will carry the basket. Now all we have to do is buy food, put it in the basket and find a nice location in a park to eat."

Linda led Garrus to several kiosks where she purchased various foods and beverages which she placed in the basket. Then, grabbing Garrus by the hand, she led him to yet another kiosk and waved to the female turian behind the counter. "Hello Sabana," Shepard called as they approached.

Sabana looked up and flared her mandibles in a grin. "Shepard, I didn't expect to see you again so soon."

Shepard led Garrus to the counter where she introduced him. "Sabana, this is Garrus, the friend that you helped me choose food for. He was quite pleased with your selections."

"Indeed I was," Garrus said. "Your food is wonderful. I haven't had real home-cooking in years."

"I'm glad that you enjoyed it. What can I do for you today?"

"We're here for more food; we're going on a picnic," Shepard said, gesturing at the basket. She looked up at Garrus with a smile. He put his arm around her shoulder and hugged her briefly. The gesture was not lost on Sabana, who looked at them speculatively.

After several minutes of discussion, and a few samples, Garrus made his selections. Shepard added the containers to her basket. Thanking Sabana and giving her a wave, the two made their way to the park behind the kiosk. They found a grassy patch in the sun, spread out their blanket and enjoyed their meal. Afterwards, they assumed their favorite position; Garrus stretched out on his back on the blanket and Shepard curled up on her side against him, her head on his shoulder. The mixture of full stomachs and warm sunshine made them sleepy; they were just starting to doze off when a shadow fell over them. Startled, they sat up abruptly and found Sabana standing there.

"I'm sorry to disturb you," she said. "I didn't realize that you were asleep. I have a new dish that I wanted you to try," she opened a container and held it out so they could inspect the contents. "It's a dessert and it's safe for both humans and turians."

"It smells marvelous," Shepard told her. "Is it chocolate?"

Sabana shook her head. "No, it isn't chocolate, but the taste is very similar."

Shepard patted the blanket and said, "Please, join us; that way you can get our feedback firsthand." She and Garrus both took bites of the dessert and made sounds of pleasure as they chewed; they agreed that it was wonderful. Sabana was pleased, but seemed to have something else on her mind.

Shepard reached out and took Sabana's hand in hers. "What is it? I get the feeling that something is troubling you."

Sabana shook her head. "Not troubling me exactly, but I do have questions for both of you. It's obvious to me that you are more than friends, possibly even lovers. How do you make it work?" She dropped her gaze as if embarrassed.

Linda squeezed her hand. "You're right, we _are_ more than friends. We aren't lovers _yet_, but we're working on it," she said with a grin at Garrus. "I have a friend who is a scientist; he developed anti-allergen serums for us. We haven't put the serums to the full test yet, but early experiments have been promising." It was Shepard's turn to drop her gaze as Garrus chuckled.

Sabana took a deep breath and then explained in a rush, "I have a human friend who is very…special. He is the reason that I've started experimenting with foods that can be enjoyed by both of our races. We are interested in taking our relationship to a deeper level, but haven't found a way around the whole potentially-life-threatening-allergic-reaction thing." She looked at them appealingly.

Shepard replied, "I'm sure my friend won't mind sharing his serum with you – once we know that it works properly with no ill effects. I promise that we won't forget about you."

"Thanks Shepard," Sabana said as she got to her feet. Giving them a smile as she walked away, she added "I'll leave you to your experiment. Good luck!"

Linda turned to Garrus and said, "Speaking of our experiment, are you ready to return to the Normandy and see if Dr. Chakwas is ready to let you return to 'duty'?"

"Definitely," Garrus growled in a voice that sent tingles through Shepard's entire body.

####

Back aboard ship, Shepard sent Garrus to the Med Lab while she returned to her cabin. Once there, she began pacing nervously; the butterflies in her stomach were beginning to assume gigantic proportions.

EDI broke into Shepard's reverie. "Shepard, it will be a while before Garrus returns. There is something in your Inbox that I think you might like to see."

Curious, Linda stepped to her private terminal and opened her Inbox where she found an unread message from EDI. She opened the attachment to the message and gasped, "Oh, EDI…" She was unable to speak any further; her throat tightened with unshed tears. Before her on the screen was a photograph taken in her quarters the previous day – it showed Garrus asleep in her bed with Hershey clutched to his chest.

"When I saw how touched you were by this scene, I extracted this image from my memory banks for you," EDI explained.

"Oh, EDI" Shepard began again. "Thank you. I will treasure this always." As she ran her fingertips lightly over the image on the screen, Linda knew that her decision to trust EDI had been the right one.


	11. Chapter 11

Just as Shepard closed down her private terminal, the door opened and Garrus entered carrying a bottle. "Hey, I brought wine," he said. "Best I could afford on a vigilante's salary."

"Does this mean that Dr. Chakwas has cleared you to return to duty?" Linda asked hopefully.

"Duty and…other activities." Garrus stepped around her, turned on some music and danced a few steps away. Shaking her head, Shepard slowly walked closer.

"If you were a turian, I would be complimenting your waist or your fringe. So…your, uh, hair looks good. And your waist is…very supportive." Shepard just grinned as Garrus continued nervously. "Hopefully that's not offensive in human culture. Crap. I knew I should have watched the vids. Throw me a line here Shepard."

Linda chuckled. "Calm down Garrus. You're worrying too much. And talking too much." She reached over and turned off the music.

"I just….I've seen so many things go wrong, Shepard. My work at C-Sec, what happened with Sidonis…I want something to go right. Just once. Just…"

Shepard reached up and lightly stroked Garrus' scarred mandible. He leaned over, placed his forehead against hers affectionately, then reached up and stroked her cheek.

Shepard shifted slightly so she could look Garrus in the eyes. "Silly man," she said tenderly. "Haven't you learned yet that it's _always_ right when we're together? It doesn't matter if we're in combat or sharing a meal; it only matters that we're together. Tonight will do far more than 'go right' – it will be a night to treasure, I promise." Giving him the wicked grin that he loved, she added, "It will also go right _more_ than just once, if I have anything to do with it."

Taking Garrus' hand, Linda led him down the stairs into her bedroom where she removed his visor and took the wine bottle away from him. "You won't need either of these for awhile," she added as she placed them on the table in the sitting area. She put her arms around his neck and told him, "I'm just as nervous as you are."

"Really?" he asked.

"Really." She placed his hand on her chest. "Can you feel my heart pounding?" He nodded. "It's a combination of desire and nerves. I also have butterflies in my stomach the size of birds. I think the best way for us to get over this awkwardness is just to take the plunge, get out of these clothes and get better 'acquainted'." She cocked her head at him and added, "In case you have forgotten, I _still_ haven't seen a naked turian male. It is definitely time for that to change."

Stepping away from Garrus, Shepard quickly stripped out of her clothes then watched as he struggled to do the same; his nervousness caused him to fumble with the fastenings. She went to him, moved his hands and began to undress him. "Relax," she whispered as she undid the last fastener and removed his shirt. She pulled him against her in a hug, their bare skin touching for the first time. She felt Garrus relax as he put his arms around her with a sigh. "Better?" she asked. He nodded against her shoulder.

Shepard broke out of the hug so that she could examine Garrus' torso – with her eyes and hands. She took in the slight roughness of his thick skin and the plate-like structure of his muscles. It didn't take long for her to learn that his skin was sensitive in spite of its thickness. She heard Garrus' breathing quicken as she explored. He closed his eyes and let her investigate without interference. She turned him around so that she could see his back and continued her explorations there. Once the previously unknown regions of his upper body had been charted to her satisfaction, Shepard returned to face Garrus, kissed him passionately and nibbled on his neck until he began to moan with pleasure.

Garrus' eyes flew open as Linda reached for the fastenings of his trousers; she arched her eyebrow at him. "Shepard," Garrus said breathlessly, "I've learned that whenever you look at me like that, something interesting is about to happen." She grinned and dropped to her knees, stripping his trousers down and taking his cock into her mouth. As she drew on him, Garrus groaned and plunged his hands into her hair, forcing himself deeper into her mouth. Shepard teased him with her mouth, tongue, and teeth as her hands explored his ass and thighs. She discovered that, as rumored, turian testicles are indeed smaller than those of their human counterparts; _No biggie_ she thought, grinning at the accidental pun.

"Shepard," Garrus panted, "if you keep that up, I can guarantee that you will be ingesting _more_ than just turian skin cells." He felt her grin as she lightly ran her teeth down him as she pulled away. Shepard finished removing his trousers before getting to her feet. Cocking her head, she said "I believe that the _balls _are in your court_"_ as she stroked the balls in question.

Garrus grabbed Shepard and pulled her against him. "My turn," he growled; she shivered in anticipation. Garrus ran his hand into Linda's hair and pulled her head back, exposing her neck. He put the rough skin of his mouth to good use on her neck until she gasped and arched her back, offering her breasts to him. He accepted the offering graciously. He slid his mouth down to suckle one breast while cupping the other in his hand and lightly circling the nipple with one blunted talon. Linda whimpered and pressed her breasts further upward. He chuckled in satisfaction as he felt her nipples harden in response to his ministrations. She raised her hips and pressed them against him, trying to get him to enter her. Even though he ached with the need to do just that, he eased his hips away from hers. "Not yet," he whispered.

Garrus slid his hands down Shepard's back so that she arched over his arms, putting both breasts in easy access of his mouth. He suckled her and teased them with his tongue until she was almost mindless with desire. "Garrus, please…" Shepard begged.

He lowered her onto the bed where he slowly proceeded to work his mouth toward the nest of curls between her thighs, fluttering his mandibles lightly against her skin as he went. Once his goal had been reached, Garrus used one finger to separate the curls and gave Linda a look that she hadn't seen before. She strongly suspected that if he had eyebrows, one of them would be arched at her. Confirming her suspicions, he gave her a grin that sent chills down her spine and lowered his mouth.

"Garrus!" Shepard cried out when his tongue made contact with the mound of throbbing flesh between her legs. She arched upward, gasping "Are you sure you didn't watch the vids?" He chuckled, the vibration almost causing Shepard to come then and there, and pushed her back down on the bed. She panted, "To quote a good friend, if you keep that up, it will be more than human skin cells that you are ingesting." She could feel Garrus grin as he continued to explore with his tongue. Just as Shepard thought climax was imminent, he pulled away and stood up.

Shepard decided that she had never seen a more glorious sight than the man standing at the foot of her bed. "My god, you are gorgeous" she told him. Garrus gave a pleased growl as he grasped her calves and pulled her toward him, placing her legs on his hips.

"Garrus," Linda sighed happily. "With that tiny waist and those marvelous hips, you were made for this."

"No, Shepard" Garrus corrected as he grasped her hips and thrust into her. "I was made for you."

####

Later, when her breathing had returned to normal and she felt capable of speech again, Linda rolled over and propped her head on Garrus' chest; his heart was still pounding. One grey eye peered at her briefly through slitted lids before closing again. Grinning, she asked "So? What's the verdict? A night to treasure or horrible interspecies awkwardness?"

"You have to ask? My god, that was….phenomenal. It's going to take a week for me to recover."

Shepard reached down and began lightly stroking his cock, which immediately began to harden in her hand. "A week, hmm? I don't think so." She slid higher so she could lick his neck.

Garrus groaned. "Shepard…" he began.

Shepard silenced him with a kiss. "Shhh, just relax; I promise I'll be gentle." Putting her words into action, she straddled him and found him eagerly waiting to slide into her. She rode him gently until they both climaxed, then fell asleep in each other's arms.

####

The next thirty-six hours were the happiest of Shepard's life. Her innate time sense made sure that they took their serum on time and Rupert provided food on a regular basis. She and Garrus only left the bed when absolutely necessary; they even ate their meals there. They talked continually and touched constantly. She lost count of the number of times they made love. Shepard learned that Garrus was a thorough and inventive lover. She could sense that he held back somewhat for fear of hurting her, in spite of her assurances that the human form is not as fragile as he might think.

They lay together, arms and legs tangled, still joined after their latest coupling; neither liked to be the first to break their physical connection. Shepard was just falling asleep when she heard Garrus grunt and felt his body stiffen. "What's wrong?" she asked with concern.

"Cramp," came the reply through gritted teeth. She could feel Garrus wiggling his foot madly, still trying not to break their link.

"Where?"

"From my right nut all the way to my foot," Garrus replied.

Shepard went into a fit of giggles as he reluctantly pulled out so that he could stand up and try to work the cramp out. He hobbled away from the bed, mumbling under his breath. Shepard, still giggling helplessly, watched as he paced. Garrus limped back to the bed and glared at her as she struggled to compose herself. "I'm sorry. I know it hurts."

"Hurts? I'll be lucky if I can walk tomorrow!"

Linda gave a snort and went off into another gale of giggles. Garrus continued to glare at her, then turned and hobbled away again. As soon as he turned away, a huge grin covered his face. He had never heard her laugh so freely before and decided that he would gladly suffer massive cramps from head to toe on a daily basis if it meant hearing Shepard giggle.

####

On the last day of shore leave, Shepard and Garrus returned to Ilium; they had a promise to keep. They approached Sabana's kiosk, picnic basket in hand.

Sabana gave them a wave when she saw them approaching. "Back so soon?" she called out when they got nearer.

"Can you join us?" Shepard asked, nodding toward the basket.

"Of course. It's time for my break anyway. You two head on to the park, I'll join you as soon as I have a word with my assistant."

They had just settled down when Sabana joined them. Shepard pulled her down to sit with them. "I promised that we wouldn't forget about you. We have tested the anti-allergen serum thoroughly," her face reddened as Garrus chuckled. "It works wonderfully, with no ill effects." Handing Sabana the picnic basket, she added, "This is for you."

Sabana's eyes grew wide as she looked in the basket. "What is all of this?"

Shepard explained. "The red and blue vials are the anti-allergen; they are color-coded to match your blood. Yours is blue, your friend's is red. Apply a dose every 24 hours via hypo-spray."

"What are all of these other containers?" Sabana asked as she pulled out assorted bottles and examined the contents.

"Those are various lotions and gels that can come in handy if, um, chafing becomes a problem."

"Chafing?"

"Our friend warned us that it might be an issue, but we haven't found it to be."

"Humans are remarkably self-lubricating," Garrus added with an evil grin. Shepard glared at him as her face turned even redder. He laughed and pulled her against him in a hug; she punched him lightly on the chest, and then snuggled close. Sabana watched the interplay between them with a slight smile on her face.

Garrus continued, "Of course, the creams aren't solely for protection against chafing. Each one has unique properties, such as creating a warming or cooling sensation that can greatly enhance the encounter." He glanced at Shepard. "Wouldn't you agree?" She grinned and nodded.

Sabana looked at them, her gaze moving from one to the other. "You two make a great couple. I'm glad that we met. I only hope that Daniel and I will be as happy as you."

Linda saw the tenderness in Sabana's eyes as she spoke Daniel's name. She leaned forward, resting her hand on Sabana's arm. "Do you love him?" Sabana nodded shyly. "Does he love you?" She nodded again. "That's all that matters. The rest will come with time."

Sabana's assistant was waving her back to the kiosk. She stood up and sighed. "I'm sorry, but I have to get back to work." When Shepard and Garrus stood up, she gave them both a hug. "Thank you so much for coming by and bringing this." She grinned. "I can't wait to see Daniel!"

"I hope you'll stay in touch," Shepard said. "The four of us have a lot in common!"

"I will," Sabana assured her.

Garrus added, "Be sure to have Daniel introduce you to human-style kissing. It will probably seem strange at first, but I promise, it will grow on you!"

As they walked away, Shepard asked, "So, what do you want to do with the rest of our day off?"

Garrus slid his arm around her waist. "Well, first we have to return to the Normandy and get out of these clothes. Then…" he began to regale her with the details of what he planned to do once their clothes were off.

Shepard's brows rose as he talked; "I see you've been giving this a lot of thought."

"Absolutely," he glanced down at her. "How about you? What did you have in mind?"

Shepard stopped walking and looked at him. "I was hoping…I mean, I wondered…how would you feel," she stammered and then just shook her head.

"What?" Garrus asked, caressing her cheek, concern in his eyes.

She took a deep breath and began again, as she reached for his hand, "How would you feel about moving in with me?"

He seemed surprised, "Are you sure? What about the crew?"

She laughed. "The crew already thinks we're lovers. I'm pretty sure the past couple of days have confirmed their suspicions. We already spend every spare moment together. Let's make it official – when we get back to the ship, move your stuff from the Crew Quarters to my cabin." When Garrus still seemed hesitant, she reached up to stroke his mandible and added "I've learned the hard way, life is too short not to make the most of every day. I don't intend to make that mistake again."

He nodded and pulled her against him, "OK, you talked me into it. Let's make this happen."

####

Once back on the Normandy, Shepard rode the elevator to the Crew Quarters with Garrus. She decided to take advantage of the solitude and the length of the journey to give him a preview of what awaited when he returned to her quarters and maneuvered him into the corner for a make-out session. When the doors opened, they were greeted by a familiar voice.

"Well, well. What do we have here? I didn't know that turians kiss." Jack stepped onto the elevator, a leer on her face. "I haven't had a turian yet. Want to give me ride, big boy? Better yet, we can make it a threesome."

Shepard turned and smiled at Jack, keeping one hand possessively on Garrus' arm. "Jack, I'm in such a good mood, not even you can put a damper on it. What brings you out of your lair?"

Jack shrugged. "Shore leave. I haven't gotten laid in a long time, so I decided to get to know some of the crew a little better." She chuckled and stroked what appeared to be a bite mark on her breast.

Garrus growled, "Let me guess, we'll find your victims in the Med Lab, curled into a fetal position, crying."

Jack laughed. "Not hardly. Wherever they are, they're thanking their lucky stars and hoping I'll come again soon. Or at least make them come again soon."

Shepard gave Garrus a push toward the door and gave him a wink. "Go get your things. I'll be waiting for you."

####

Garrus stepped into Shepard's cabin and found her waiting for him as promised - in bed, naked, legs spread.


	12. Chapter 12

Garrus was running simulations to test the newest firing algorithms for the Thanix Cannon when he heard Shepard's footsteps approaching. He was surprised; she didn't usually come by in the morning. He turned to greet her with a smile, which faltered when he saw her face. "Shepard, what's wrong?" As soon as she got close enough, he took her by the arm and forced her to sit down. "I believe the human expression is that you look like you've seen a ghost."

She gave him a weak smile. "Very appropriate. I just received a message from Admiral Hackett – they found the crash site of the original Normandy. The Alliance has offered me the 'opportunity' to be the first to walk on the site." Putting her words into action, she stood up and began to pace. "They also want me to place a memorial – and look for signs of the 20 crew members that are unaccounted for." Glancing at Garrus, she added, "I'm going today."

Garrus reached out to stop her pacing. "Do you want me to go with you?"

Shepard sighed, "Yes, but this is something that I have to do on my own."

"I'm here if you need me, Shepard."

"I know – and that means everything to me."

####

Garrus struggled through the day as he waited for Shepard to return to the ship; he was worried about her. _I _know_ that Shepard is safe; she's more than capable of handling any threat. There isn't anything on Alchera that can hurt her - except memories._ Putting down his data pad, he began to pace. _Linda hit the ground running – literally – when she woke up on Lazarus Research Station. She hasn't had time to mourn the deaths of her former crew members._ _Today is going to be hard on her; I wish I were there to help her through it. _

When he found himself reading the same part of the test results for about the fourteenth time, Garrus gave up. He went to their cabin, where he stripped and cleaned his weapons, an activity that he always found soothing.

####

Linda was in a pensive mood when she returned to the ship. She placed her old N7 helmet on her desk, next to her private terminal and stood stroking the surface thoughtfully. A slight sound caught her attention; glancing up, she saw Garrus busily cleaning the weapons that she had left behind. Her mood lightened instantly. She stepped around the partition and watched him, a small smile on her face.

Sensing her presence, Garrus looked up. Without a word, he strode to Shepard, picked her up and returned to the couch where he settled her in his lap. Resting his cheek against her head, he began to rock her slowly, the way a mother rocks her child. Shepard snuggled closer and sighed. They sat in silence for several minutes before Garrus asked, "Better?" He felt Shepard nod against his chest. "Want to tell me about it?"

Shepard asked somewhat meekly, "Can we eat first? I'm starving."

Garrus laughed. "I know you're okay if you want to eat. Wait right here." He placed her on the couch, quickly reassembled the weapons he had cleaned and cleared the surface of the table. Shepard raised her brows as he reached under the table and pulled out several containers.

"I thought you might be hungry when you got back, so I had Rupert whip up a few of your old favorites." He pulled out dishes containing pizza, chili cheese fries, and a slaw dog.

Shepard laughed for the first time all day and reached out to stroke his mandible, "Garrus – I love you." He grinned back at her. Once Shepard had taken the edge off of her hunger, she began talking about her day.

"Alchera is striking; it has a desolate beauty about it that makes it appropriate as the final resting place of my ship – and crew. A large piece of the hull was in one piece; it still had 'Normandy' emblazoned on it ." She grew quiet as she remembered, then shook her head as she brought herself back to the present. "I even found Pressly's data pad. Most of the data was corrupted, but I was able to read enough to see that he had overcome his initial dislike of aliens and had grown to both respect and appreciate his non-human crewmates." Shaking her head again, she added quietly "He even said that he would gladly die for anyone of you." Looking at Garrus, Shepard could see that he was touched by this insight into his former crewmate. She continued, "The Mako was completely intact. Remember all of the missions we used it on?"

Garrus chuckled. "The missions aren't the only thing I remember – _someone_ became a bit of a drama queen on several of those missions." Changing the pitch of his voice, he continued "Does _every_ planet in this galaxy have these ridiculous mountain ranges? Why can't we ever land on a planet with plains or gently rolling hills?" Shepard laughed and stuck her tongue out at him. Dropping back into his normal voice he asked, "What about the missing crew members? Did you find any signs of them?"

Shepard nodded. "Amazingly enough, I found the dog tags for everyone. After that, I placed the memorial, said my final farewells and came home. The dog tags have already been returned to the Alliance; Admiral Hackett will make sure they get to the families. I would like to write the families and let them know how sorry I am for their loss and share some of my memories of the ones they lost, but I can't."

"Why not? I think it's an excellent idea."

"Think about it," Linda said sadly. "I died that day too, but I didn't stay that way. I was brought back, given a second chance at life – their loved ones are still dead. I'm afraid a letter from me might be like rubbing salt into wounds that are just starting to heal." She hung her head, overcome with sadness.

Garrus reached out to stroke her cheek. "I see your point." He wiped away the single tear running down her face. Lifting her chin gently, he told her, "You know Shepard, its okay to cry."

Shepard shook her head and took a deep breath, "I would rather channel these emotions into something useful. This mission is too important; I have to stay focused. Besides, crying isn't my style."

Garrus could see her starting to tremble. Lifting Linda to her feet, he stripped off her shipsuit, and wrapped her in her robe. Pulling the covers back, he placed her in the bed. After removing his own clothes, he curled up against her and pulled the covers over them both. Slowly, as the combined warmth of robe, covers, and turian soaked in, the trembling eased.

Shepard slid back, closer to Garrus and pulled his arms tighter around her. "Thank you," she whispered.

Smoothing her hair behind her ear, Garrus asked "For what?"

"For this. For being here. For being you."

"You're welcome." He leaned forward to nuzzle her ear and saw another tear rolling down her cheek; irritated, she wiped it away.

"I said that crying isn't my style, but I certainly seem to get teary-eyed a lot these days," she grumbled.

Garrus rolled Linda over to face him and pulled her close. "Shepard, a few tears don't change anything – you're still the toughest person I know. The things you have been through in the past couple of years would have broken most people, but you have come through with flying colors. True, you've changed some since I knew you before – you have a few chinks in your armor. But that's a _good_ thing," he continued as she started to interrupt. "Those chinks give others a chance to see the woman behind the legend. Without those chinks, I probably wouldn't be lying here with you – I don't think the old Shepard would have let me get this close. Besides – I take your tears as a compliment."

"What?" Shepard replied, startled.

"You don't let anyone but me see your tears – that means that you're comfortable with me, you feel safe letting your guard down; it means that you trust me – and _that_ is the biggest compliment that I could ever have."

Shepard nodded thoughtfully and then said, with a return of her wicked grin, "See, I told you that you're a teddy bear."

####

Memories - or perhaps premonitions - haunted the night. Garrus' dreams were dark and disturbing. He awoke with a start and began scanning the room for threats. Next to him, Linda moaned and thrashed in her sleep, crying out "No! NO!"

Garrus reached over and shook her gently, whispering "Wake up, Linda. Everything's okay. Wake up." She gasped and looked at him, but he knew she was still seeing her dreams. He stroked her cheek. "Shhh, it's okay. I'm here, Shepard. Wake up."

Shepard's eyes focused slowly; she threw her arms around Garrus' neck with a muffled sob. "The Collectors...everyone was gone...I couldn't find you." She pulled back so that she could see his face. "I need you - don't go anywhere."

Garrus smiled as he stroked her cheek again, wiping away her tears. "Are you kidding? You couldn't get rid of me if you tried. I love you - we're a team. I'm not going anywhere." He pulled Shepard firmly against him; as he stroked her hair, he began humming. He felt her begin to relax.

"That's nice," Linda murmured sleepily. "What is it?"

Garrus sounded slightly surprised as he answered, "It's the song my mother used to sing to me when I was a child and had bad dreams. I haven't thought of it in years." He began humming again; in a few minutes, Shepard was asleep. Garrus stayed awake the rest of the night, guarding Shepard, keeping the Dream Collectors at bay.


	13. Chapter 13

_"_The three of us running for our lives on a supposedly derelict ship is getting to be a habit," Shepard commented to Garrus and Samara as they fled the falling Reaper, pursued by hordes of husks.

"It would go a lot faster if we weren't carrying a rather large, inactive geth sniper with us," Garrus grumbled.

"It's too valuable to leave behind," Shepard and Samara stated simultaneoulsy.

Samara continued, "We completed our mission successfully; we obtained the IFF necessary for us to navigate the Omega 4 relay safely. The geth is an unexpected bonus - just _think_ of what we can learn from it. "

"Tali is _not_ going to be happy about this Shepard," Garrus pointed out.

"I know. I'll handle Tali - I'll just make sure she's unarmed when I talk to her," Shepard replied, only half joking. The conversation was cut short as the team reached the end of the ramp.

_When am I going to learn, _Linda wondered as she launched herself toward the Normandy's open airlock_, that the Illusive Man apparently has _no_ idea what the word 'derelict' really means?_

####

_What a day_, Linda thought as she entered the elevator for the ride to her cabin. She rolled her head side-to-side, stretching the muscles in her neck in an attempt to relieve some of the tension that had built up. _I can't wait to get in __the shower_. She sighed in anticipation as the door of the elevator opened. Once she entered her cabin, she could tell that the shower was going to have to wait.

Garrus was pacing the floor, glaring at the door. He went on the attack as soon as she entered. "Shepard, are you out of your mind? Bringing an intact geth on board and _activating_ it?" He stormed over, grabbed her arms, and gave her a shake.

Shepard felt her temper rising and glared at him in turn. "Watch it," she warned, pulling away from him. "Besides, I thought you weren't going to say anything else on the subject."

Garrus snorted. "I changed my mind."

"Obviously. What exactly is your problem?"

"That…_thing_ is the problem. We've spent _ages_ tracking down and eradicating geth and now you bring one on this ship. And for what? Just to find out why it's wearing a piece of your armor?"

Shepard got nose-to-nose with Garrus. "Do you _really_ think that I would endanger my entire crew just for that? If so, you apparently don't know me as well as you think you do. If I'm not capable of handling a lone geth, then I shouldn't be in charge of this ship – or this mission." Eyes flashing, she added "And I can assure you, _Officer_ Vakarian, there is no one better than me."

Linda's anger slipped away as quickly as it had flared up; her shoulders slumped with weariness. "I'm tired; I don't want to argue with you. My decision has been made – whether you like it or not. There are going to be times when we just have to agree to disagree." Garrus was still scowling and breathing heavily, but he didn't pull away when she reached up to stroke his mandible.

Shepard turned and headed to the shower, stripping off her shipsuit as she walked. At the door she turned and flashed a grin. "Besides, I _really_ brought it on board to find out how it knows my name." The door closed behind her leaving a slightly bemused Garrus standing alone.

####

Linda stood under the hot water, letting it wash away her worries and residual anger. Closing her eyes, she tilted her head back so the water could flow over her face.

"Shepard…" Startled, she opened her eyes to find Garrus standing just inside the door. His head hanging, he spoke to her bare feet. "I'm sorry. This mission, all of the waiting, is starting to get to me. Somehow, having a geth on board was the last straw." He rubbed the back of his neck absently as he spoke. He looked up, grey eyes meeting blue.

Shepard arched her eyebrow at him. "Apology accepted. The waiting is getting to all of us but it will be over soon. EDI is installing the Reaper IFF; once it's functional, we will be able to end this." She crooked her finger at him, beckoning him closer. "In the meantime, a hot shower works wonders on tense muscles, especially when accompanied by a massage. I happen to be a pretty good masseuse. Why don't you get out of those clothes and join me?" Garrus grinned and did as ordered.

####

After they had showered and made up, Shepard and Garrus "snuddled" under the covers; she laid her head on his chest as she filled him in on what she had learned from Legion.

"So, all geth aren't bent on destroying organics? Could have fooled me," Garrus chuckled. Shepard grinned, she loved feeling the rumble of Garrus' voice in his chest; his chuckles just intensified the effect.

"Not according to Legion. Only the 'heretics' that follow the Reapers are fighting us. The others are actually fairly indifferent toward organics."

"That's another question, where did the name Legion come from?"

"It was EDI's suggestion; it comes from the human Bible, Mark 5:9 – 'My name is Legion, for we are many.' Legion seemed to think it appropriate – he _does_ house more programs than the other platforms."

"When did 'it' become 'he'?" Garrus asked.

Shepard shrugged. "I have a problem referring to any sentient being as an 'it'. The quarians created the geth in their image; physically, Legion resembles a quarian male. Also, his voice is distinctly male."

"OK, I admit it – I'm intrigued," Garrus confessed.

"Good." Shepard grinned up at him. "You'll have a chance to alleviate some of your curiosity soon. Legion has requested that the Normandy go to Heretic Station. There is a virus there that the heretics are planning to release that will convert _all_ of the geth to their way of thinking; he wants our help to stop them. You will be a part of the team."

####

Shepard crossed the cabin and collapsed on the couch beside Garrus. "I need chocolate. Massive quantities of chocolate." She stretched out, putting her feet on the table and throwing one arm over her eyes. After a moment, she heard a rustling sound, and smelled chocolate. She moved her arm to find Garrus grinning and holding a candy bar.

"Will this do?"

Struggling into a sitting position, Linda gratefully accepted the chocolate and sighed blissfully as she bit into it. "How did you do that?"

"I have my ways."

"I knew there was a reason that I love you - you give me chocolate."

"I thought you loved me for my devastating good looks and dazzling personality." Garrus cocked his head at her, eyes twinkling.

"Mmmm. Those _are_ nice, but the chocolate..." Linda rolled her eyes heavenward.

Garrus put his arm around Shepard and pulled her close. "What sort of 'discussion' were Legion and Tali having? Joker made it sound pretty serious."

"It was. When I got to the AI Core, Tali had pulled a gun on Legion. It was sort of an ugly 'he said, she said' sort of thing. Tali said that she caught Legion trying to transmit classified information about the Migrant Fleet to the geth; he said that he was just trying to protect his people from a possible attack by the quarians."

"Those are pretty serious accusations. What happened?"

"It took some pretty fancy talking, but I eventually got them to agree to a compromise." Glancing at Garrus she added, "You would have been proud." He ruffled her hair affectionately.

Shepard ran her hand over her face. "I don't think they will ever be best friends, but the current crisis has been averted."

They sat in silence for a few moments before Garrus asked "Are you sure that destroying Heretic Station was the best thing to do?"

Shepard shook her head. "No, I'm not. I _do_ think it was the safest of the two options. I'm not convinced that rewriting the heretics would have worked or that the Reapers wouldn't have been able to rewrite them again later. If the heretics are _gone_, there is no way the Reapers can continue to use them." She shrugged. "Being the Commander isn't always what it's cracked up to be."

Garrus used one finger to smooth her hair away from her face. "You do fine. I don't envy you – my one attempt at being a commander didn't turn out so well."

Shepard heard the sadness in his voice. She turned to look at him. "You are a brilliant strategist; that, combined with your technical expertise make you a _very_ strong leader. I know for a fact that the men on your team were proud to serve with you. Sidonis was a traitor – that is no fault of yours. One of the hardest things a military leader has to learn to deal with is the death of his or her team members. It's bad enough when something happens to one or two people. You got thrown into the deep end with the loss of your whole team. You'll get a chance to lead again, and when you do, I hope you'll take it. I know that you will excel – _I_ would follow you any where."

Garrus just shook his head as he looked at her. "Shepard, I love you. You are _so_ good for me."

Smiling, Shepard stood and pulled him to his feet. "We're good for each other. Now, let's go to bed. I'm so tired I may drown if I try to take a shower."'

Once under the covers, they curled up together, sighing simultaneously. Shepard murmured sleepily, "This is my favorite time of the day. No matter how rough things have been, ending it with you makes it all worthwhile."

Garrus nodded, "Me too."

Shepard smiled; she was asleep before Garrus could touch his head to hers. He watched her sleep for a long time before finally drifting off himself.


	14. Chapter 14

"They took my crew! The Collectors came aboard _my_ ship and took _my_ crew!" Shepard stalked through her cabin as she talked. Garrus leaned against the wall, arms crossed, watching her. "I've always known that this battle is personal – the Reapers want _me_. But this…"

"So, what are you going to do?"

"It's time to take the battle to them. It's time to go to the Collector Base." Shepard walked to where Garrus stood and leaned against him. "If you have anyone that you need to talk to, now would be the time to do it."

He hugged her against him. "How long?"

"Very soon; tomorrow at the latest. I want to give the team time to say their farewells, so to speak."

"So, do you really think we won't be coming back?"

"Absolutely not!" Linda pulled back so she could meet his eyes. "I intend to defeat the Collectors, rescue my crew, _and_ bring my whole team back. But I'm a realist – I know things may not happen that way."

Giving Shepard another hug, Garrus said "I guess I better go make some calls. I'll see you soon."

####

Garrus stepped into Shepard's cabin, surprised to see that the only illumination came from the fish tank. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust. "Shepard?"

"I'm here," she called quietly from the bedroom. Garrus walked slowly, his eyes still adjusting. When he reached the bottom of the steps, he saw Shepard sitting on the edge of the bed in her robe, her hair still damp from the shower.

"I heard. We're on our way to the Omega 4 relay."

"Yes. Joker says that we have two hours." Shepard stood and approached Garrus, slowly removing her robe. "Shall we make the most of them?" She reached out and began to gently undress him. Smiling, she glanced up at him, "This reminds me of the first time we made love."

"Except this time, I'm not nervous." Garrus moved her hands and quickly stripped off his clothes. He pulled Shepard against him roughly and brought his mouth to hers.

When the kiss finally ended, Shepard asked, "Have I ever told you how much I like the way your skin glistens in the light?" Her eyes and hands roamed over his body, memorizing every detail.

"No. Have I ever told you how much I love the way the softness of your body molds to mine?"

"Not in so many words, but your _actions_ have spoken volumes."

Garrus trembled with barely suppressed desire. "Shepard, I'm not sure I can hold back this time."

"Good. I don't want you to." She shivered as he lowered his mouth to her neck. "I know you're worried about hurting me, but I'm not as delicate as you think I am. As a matter of fact, I want you to mark me."

Garrus raised his head, startled. "You want me to what?"

"I want you to mark me. I don't care how – use your teeth, your talons. I want you to leave some sort of lasting mark on me; something that will leave a scar. Something that will remind me of us and what we have right now every time I see it."

Garrus considered the request for a moment, and then nodded. "Alright, but you have to do the same for me."

Shepard nodded. Sliding her arms around his neck, she kissed him passionately. After a moment, she lowered her mouth to the sensitive skin on his neck. Soon, Garrus was gasping with pleasure. Without warning, Shepard bit him, hard enough to break the skin; she tasted his blood on her lips. His arms tightened around her.

Garrus growled in Shepard's ear, "My turn." He ran the rough skin of his mouth over her neck in the way that he knew she loved. As she gasped and writhed in his arms, he ran his mouth down her neck to the curve of her shoulder and bit; he felt her skin split and the rush of blood. The sensation was maddening. Shepard screamed his name, not in pain, but in desire. Her scream pushed him over the edge. There was no gentleness as he grabbed Shepard and shoved her against the wall. She wrapped her legs around him and he entered her roughly. Their blood mingled as their mouths met. Their coupling was violent, almost animalistic. Their climaxes tore through them leaving them panting for air and shaking in each other's arms.

Once he was capable of speech, Garrus asked "Shepard? Are you alright?" She nodded her head against his shoulder. "Are you sure? Look at me!"

Shepard heard the concern in his voice and raised her head, struggling for words. "I'm fine." She stroked his mandible. "I don't have the words to describe what I'm feeling. That was….incredible."

Garrus snorted. "_Incredible_ is a good word. You're right; you _aren't_ as fragile as I thought you were." With a smile, he added "I'll keep that in mind in the future."

"Promise?" He nodded.

They staggered to the bed and collapsed together. For several minutes they lay quietly. They both knew that this could be their last time together.

"Shepard, I…" Garrus began, and then paused, searching for the right words.

Linda placed her hand lightly over his mouth. "I know. I feel the same way."

They made love again, this time gently, letting their eyes and hands say what their words could not. Afterward, as they lay with their bodies entwined, Shepard suddenly asked, "Can you feel that?"

"What?" Garrus responded, puzzled.

"Just _feel_," was the only response.

Garrus lay still, extending his senses, wondering what Shepard was talking about. Just as he opened his mouth to ask again, he felt it; their breathing, even their heartbeats were perfectly synchronized. He looked at Shepard in amazement, to find her smiling at him. "Pretty awesome, isn't it?" she asked. He could only nod in agreement. They lay wrapped in a cocoon of peace, until Joker came over the intercom.

"Commander, we've reached the Omega 4 relay."

"Thank you Joker. Hold your position."

"Aye, aye Commander."

Shepard and Garrus climbed out of bed and began to dress.

"Shepard, do you want me to treat that bite wound with something? It looks pretty nasty."

Shepard shook her head as she retrieved the first aid kit. "Nothing more than an antiseptic and a bandage. I _want_ it to scar. I _want_ to feel the pain; it will help me stay focused on what we're fighting for."

They treated each others wounds and finished dressing in silence. Hand in hand, they climbed the stairs. As they approached the door, Shepard stopped Garrus and turned him to face her. "I love you," she told him seriously.

"I love you too," he replied, just as seriously. They stood for a moment, foreheads pressed together. Shepard squeezed Garrus' hand and stepped back, breaking contact.

"EDI, have the team gather in the Comm Room." Looking at Garrus, she told him, "I'll join you there shortly."

Garrus studied Shepard's face for a moment, nodded, then turned and walked out. A true soldier, he didn't look back.

####

It was time to begin the assault. In an effort to "divide and conquer", Shepard's team would split into two squads, each of which would take different routes to the central chamber of the base. Shepard, Samara, and Thane would form one squad; Garrus would lead the squad consisting of the remaining team members. Legion would work his way through the ventilation shaft to open the locked doors barring the team's routes.

The teams left the Normandy and headed their separate ways. Shepard caught Garrus' eye and gave him a wink. He acknowledged it with the slightest of nods. She watched him walk away, then turned to Samara and Thane; "Let's make this happen."

####

It was over. Linda didn't think she had ever been so physically and mentally exhausted in her entire life. The Normandy had barely reached a safe distance before the Collector Base exploded. Since then she had said farewell to her fallen teammates, congratulated and debriefed the remaining team members, "chatted" with the Illusive Man – she grinned as she remembered their conversation – and checked on each of the surviving crew members.

Shepard's last stop was to see Doctor Chakwas. The doctor was holding up admirably. Even though she was still recovering from her own time in captivity at the hands of the Collectors, she was treating the other survivors with her usual thoroughness. Linda gave the doctor several bottles of Serrice Ice Brandy that she had stashed away and recommended that the doctor use it liberally in her treatment of the crew.

"What about you Shepard? Are you injured?" Doctor Chakwas asked. "You look a little pale. Well, paler than usual," she added with a smile.

"Nothing that can't wait, Doctor. But thanks for your concern." Shepard smiled, squeezed the doctor's hand then turned to walk out. Her grand exit was foiled by the fact that she stumbled as she left.

"Shepard!" Doctor Chakwas rushed over and grabbed Shepard's arm.

"I'm fine, doctor – really. I'm just tired." Shepard gently removed the doctor's hand. "I'll come back tomorrow and you can give me a thorough exam." Doctor Chakwas hesitated, then nodded.

Shepard turned and walked away again – this time making sure her steps didn't falter. Once in the elevator, she leaned against the wall and wrapped her arms around her waist. She was pretty sure at least a couple of ribs were fractured and the medi-gel that she had applied earlier was wearing off. However, nothing mattered except getting to her cabin – she _needed_ to see Garrus.

Once in her cabin, Shepard leaned against the wall by the stairs. Garrus was on the couch, first aid kit open, treating various wounds; he looked up. "You are definitely a sight for sore eyes," she told him.

Garrus cocked his head curiously. "Sore eyes? I think my eyes are about the only thing that _doesn't_ hurt."

Shepard laughed, then winced at the pain in her side. "It's a human expression – it's used to refer to something that is pleasant or beautiful to see. _You_ are both."

Garrus got up slowly as Linda moved just as slowly toward him. They met at the base of the stairs; Garrus pulled her into his arms. She sighed as his warmth soaked into her aching muscles. "You were magnificent today," she told him. "I knew you were the right choice to lead the fire team. I could hear you issuing orders and encouraging your squad mates. Your calmness under fire rubs off on your team." Meeting his eyes, she added "Like I told you before - you're a born leader."

He brushed her hair gently away from her face. "Thank you for believing in me, Shepard. And thank you for helping me start believing in myself again." As he pressed her body against his in a hug, Shepard gasped in pain. "What's wrong?" he asked, concern in his voice.

Shepard gestured at her side. "I'm pretty sure the slab that fell on me busted a couple of ribs. Now that the adrenaline and medi-gel have worn off, I hurt."

"Did you let the doctor check you out?"

She shook her head. "Doctor Chakwas would have made a great Marine. She is about ready to drop from exhaustion, but has a Med-Lab full of traumatized crew members. She is treating everyone with her usual courteous effectiveness. I hope she takes my advice and gives everyone – including herself – enough Serrice Ice Brandy to knock them out for a while. My ribs can wait. What about you? Are you okay? You were trapped under one of those slabs too."

"I'm banged up, but I'm okay. Being thick-skinned helped. I have some cuts and bruises, but nothing serious. Now that I've got you, everything is better." Taking her by the hand, Garrus led Shepard to the couch. "C'mon, let's get you out of that shipsuit; we need to get your ribs wrapped and get some more medi-gel in you."

Shepard nodded, but struggled as she tried to remove her suit. With Garrus' help, she got undressed with a minimum of pain. She sat, teeth gritted as Garrus began to wrap her rib cage tightly with wide strips of gauze. He gave a low whistle as he surveyed the damage. "Impressive, Shepard. I don't think I've ever seen that particular shade of purple before."

Shepard chuckled, and immediately regretted it. "You haven't seen anything yet. It will get worse before it gets better."

"I can hardly wait." His hands were gentle as he finished his ministrations and applied a hypo-spray of medi-gel. After cleaning and dressing her remaining cuts and abrasions, Garrus helped Shepard into her robe. "Now," he added as he pushed several containers toward her, "eat."

Shepard shook her head, "I'm so tired, I don't think I can."

With a grin, Garrus handed her a large glass. "The good doctor thought you might say that so she sent this; she called it a 'shake'. She said that it will give you all of the nutrients that you need, help replenish everything your body has lost today, _and_ it's chocolate flavored."

Shepard reached for the glass. "_That_ I think I can manage. What about you? You need to eat as well."

"Don't worry about me. I've got plenty to eat." They sipped and chewed in a comfortable silence. Once finished, Garrus sat back and pulled Shepard close. She felt a chuckle rumble through his chest as he asked "Shouldn't we be making mad, passionate love to celebrate our victory and survival?"

"Probably, but I don't think either one of us is up to it. There is a human saying, 'The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.' I think it definitely applies here. However, I promise to make it up to you soon."

"I'll hold you to it. How did your conversation go with the Illusive Man?"

Shepard grinned. "He's pretty pissed at me."

Garrus shook his head. "You have a way of pissing off dangerous people."

"He was already ticked that I decided to destroy the Collector Base instead of turning it over to him." She snorted. "Like I'm going to let that kind of technology fall into _his_ hands. I also told him that we are doing things _my_ way from now on – he can follow or he can get out of the way."

"Wait," Garrus interrupted. "Are you telling me that we have stolen _another_ Normandy?"

Shepard looked at him, startled. "I hadn't looked at it that way, but yes, I guess we have."

Garrus laughed. "Shepard, I do like your style."

Shepard's face fell as she continued. "I also caused him to lose his right-hand man – or woman, in this case. I was amazed that Miranda backed me in my decision to destroy the base – she felt so strongly about it that she even quit Cerberus. And I never had a chance to thank her." She inhaled raggedly; Garrus looked down to see a tear running down her cheek. "Miranda barely spoke to me after I took Jack's side in the argument that they had. Oh, she was professional enough not to let her anger effect the missions that we went on together, but shipboard was a different matter entirely. So today, when she was willing to throw away everything that she had worked so hard to gain to support _me_…well, 'amazed' really doesn't even begin to describe my feelings. In the course of the battle with the Human-Reaper, I couldn't stop to thank her. Then she died in my arms, never knowing what her sacrifice meant to me." The tears were flowing freely down her face now.

Garrus picked Shepard up and placed her on his lap, where he wrapped his arms around her carefully, so he didn't jostle her ribs. She buried her face against his neck and began to cry in earnest. "So many deaths," she whispered "and it's not over yet."

"No," Garrus replied, "it isn't. More battles, more victories, and more losses lie ahead. Such is the life of a soldier. We will grieve, we will strengthen ourselves with the memories of those we have lost, and _then,_ we will avenge them." He held Shepard as she shed the tears that that she had kept bottled up for so long – the tears that he knew she so desperately needed to shed. He was amazed at the ferocity of his love for her. He had sworn that he would follow her into Hell itself – and he knew that the gates were now swinging open. He didn't know what the future held – only that _he_ held Shepard and that whoever, or whatever, was coming, would have to go through him to get her.

* * *

><p><strong>Thank you to everyone that took the time to read my story! Extra thanks to those that provided reviews, both positive and negative - your input is greatly appreciated.<strong>


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